Grass is Greener
by GunvaldRW
Summary: What if Suzie had been Ned's best friend since they were little instead of Jennifer? My take on this idea.
1. Relationship Status

Revised as of 10/2011: My breaks got screwed up with this story and I'd basically pushed it to the very end of my to-do list, which really isn't all that long.

Instead of Moze growing up next door to Ned, it's Suzie, but the girls have their own personalities from the show. R&R! Just a note of some things that did & didn't happen; did: Ned kisses Jennifer at the 7th grade dance, she's actually his date. Faymen moves to the school in 8th grade & Jennifer goes out with him; didn't happen: Ned & Suzie going out, Jennifer acquiring the nickname Moze, the Field Trip.

* * *

"No, I can't be late again or Mr. Valor will definitely give me a detention," junior Ned Bigby rushed down the east wing of Michael S. Dukakis High School managing to enter his U.S. History class just before the late bell.

"Ah, Mr. Bigby, glad you could join us," Mr. Leonard Valor sat at his desk checking attendance, a few students taking their seats. Ned caught his breath just inside the room before taking his seat next to his best friend, Suzie Crabgrass.

"So, alarm didn't go off, you hit the snooze button, or you missed the bus?" the brown-eyed brunette whispered. "The second one, and the third one," Ned gave with a sheepish smile.

Ned had known Suzie all his life as the two were next door neighbors and had quickly become best friends. Suzie was more popular than Ned because she was a cheerleader and volleyball player, but she had always seemed to make time for Ned and their other friend, Simon Nelson Cook, or Cookie as they called him.

"So have you figured out what's up with Missy yet?" Ned shook his head, he and Missy Meany had been going out for nearly two months now, but all last week she had been acting very strange. She avoided Ned or just gave him a quick "Hey," or "See you later."

"Ms. Crabgrass, I'd appreciate if you didn't chat with Mr. Bigby and paid attention to my lecture instead. This information will be on the test," Valor slammed a ruler on the desk and Suzie quickly flipped open her notebook, Ned flipped his open as well.

* * *

"Jennifer, I just don't think there's a connection between us, you understand, right?" Jennifer Moseley couldn't understand. Had she done something wrong? Standing in front of her now former boyfriend, Billy Loomer, Jennifer's eyes welled with tears.

"No, I don't understand, Billy. We've always gotten along so well. Now after we've put three years into this relationship, you want to break up, why?" Loomer patted her shoulder. "We've changed over the years, I need to be with someone different, take care Jennifer," with that Loomer walked away from Jennifer as her third ex-boyfriend.

"Hey Jen, what's wrong?" Suzie along with Ned walked past having just missed the break-up.

"Billy just broke up with me. Why is it that every guy I've dated is all wrong for me?" Jennifer tried to wipe her smeared eye-liner with her hands before Suzie handed her a tissue.

"He's a jerk, Jen; he's still the bully he was when we were in middle school," Suzie said placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Trust me, he's a lot worse now than he was in middle school," Ned rubbed his shoulder remembering all the beatings he had received throughout middle and early high school. Ned was now able to fight back against Loomer; he hadn't had any fights with the blond since their freshman year. He was still confused though as to how Loomer had been able to win the heart of Jennifer Moseley.

Jennifer was an A-student, volleyball captain, and had a slight temper at times, but for the most part, she was amazing, at least in Ned's eyes. Suzie and Jennifer had been friends since the second week Jennifer had moved to town in fourth grade. Ned had greatly enjoyed any chance to be around her, but she had never seemed the slightest bit interested in him as anything more than a friend.

Jennifer laughed at Ned's response. "Thanks you guys, I don't know what I'd do without you," Jennifer said with a forced laugh. The three juniors strode down the hall with Jennifer between Ned and Suzie. The girls headed off to math as Ned joined Cookie for Chemistry.

* * *

"Ned, guess what? I'm meeting Lisa's parents tonight, do you have any tips?" a tall African American boy with very short black hair took his normal seat next to Ned.

"Wow Cookie, I'll have to think as far as tips go, I haven't actually gotten to that stage with Missy," Cookie dropped his book on the lab table. "Well, let me know if you come up with anything, I'm too nervous to think," Cookie brushed his hand over his hair. "Why haven't you met Missy's parents yet? How long have you guys been going out now?" Cookie whispered as Mrs. Nelson entered the classroom.

"Tomorrow will be our two month anniversary," Ned whispered back retrieving his own book.

Cookie gave a puzzled look, opening his mouth just as Mrs. Nelson began to speak. "I guess we'll talk at lunch," he whispered focusing on the formulas in his book. Ned nodded before searching for his pencil.

* * *

"Where's Missy?" Cookie searched the crowded cafeteria for his best friend's girlfriend, spotting his own in the process. Lisa Zemo had been Cookie's obsession for the past three years, however she hadn't even give Cookie the time of day, mainly because she thought he was too shallow. The past summer had been different though, Lisa had seen a different side of Simon when the two worked at a local restaurant. Lisa had slowly become friends with Simon agreeing to a date in late August. The two became an item two days later.

"Her parents took a mid-week vacation, she said it had something to do with them always working on weekends," Ned replied as Lisa neared the table.

"Hello Lisa," Cookie greeted as Lisa took an open seat across from him. "Hi Simon," she blushed back. Suzie and Ned rolled their eyes; Cookie was officially out of the conversation now that Lisa had arrived, though both agreed that Cookie was definitely happiest with the petite brunette.

"She's on vacation, that's odd, when are they coming back?" Suzie sat beside a saddened Jennifer who was picking at her meal with utter disgust.

"They should be back tonight, I hope. I have something planned for our anniversary and I need Missy to be here to celebrate," Ned glanced to Jennifer wondering if she was feeling better being away from her typical popular crowd.

"How are you feeling, Jennifer?" Jennifer jolted from her trance to look at the blue-eyed owner of the voice.

"I could definitely be better, I'd rather go home than suffer through the rest of the day," she replied glancing back to her plate.

_Why won't he just give up on her, especially since he does currently have a girlfriend, who isn't me either. Snap out of it, Crabgrass. Just like Jennifer doesn't see Ned as more than a friend, he doesn't see you as anything more than a friend. _

Suzie disguised her jealousy well when it came to Ned. She truly had liked him since middle school as she and other girls started to notice how good-looking he really was, he was now nearly 6'2" and the co-captain of the Dukakis Soccer Team. She had always been able to tell him anything and she valued that quality, since she didn't always have the option with Cookie.

"There's got to be one class you're looking forward to." Jennifer shrugged.

"Not really, Suzie, although I guess study hall can't be that bad, maybe I can hide in the library before anyone hears about the break-up."

"Hey, we have the same study hall, I'll go with you to the library; I need to start reading more. All my teachers keep telling me it's the only way I'll pass their classes," Ned said smiling at Jennifer. She returned the action glad for such a sweet friend.

"Thanks Ned, some company will be nice," Jennifer noticed Ned's face brighten even greater from his usual cheerful spirit. The five teens quickly left the cafeteria as the warning bell rang.

* * *

"You never seemed like the kind of guy that goes out with Missy Meany, Ned. How did you two manage to become a couple?" Jennifer whispered as Ned followed her down an aisle of books.

"Well, I never expected you to go out with Billy Loomer. Why did you ever go out with _him_?" The name tugged slightly at Jennifer's heart as Ned placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry."

"I believe I asked you first," she looked into his blue eyes, her brown eyes glistening lightly with tears.

"I started going out with Missy after a party. We played truth or dare, we were dared to kiss, and I asked her on a date for the next day. We were a couple like a week later," Ned realized he hadn't let go of Jennifer and quickly removed his hand.

"I didn't start going out with Billy because of truth or dare," Jennifer walked further into the aisle, Ned close behind her. "We started going out the summer after eighth grade. We saw each other at a concert at the state fair and decided to hang out together the next day. We went to the concert that night as well and we danced together, I fell for him that night. We were nearly inseparable from then until well, this morning," Jennifer's voice faded as she pulled a book from the shelf and sat in a chair along the far wall of the library.

"Jennifer, if I was ever your boyfriend, I wouldn't let you go, he doesn't know what he's given up by dumping you," Ned knelt beside Jennifer's chair as she flipped through the novel in her hands.

"That's sweet Ned, but you're not my boyfriend. Missy is pretty lucky that she has you, any girl would be lucky," she stood and grabbed a different book before walking to the librarian's desk.

_Why am I going out with Missy? I obviously don't love her; all I think about is Jennifer. Maybe I'm just tired or something, I have an entire anniversary dinner planned for me and Missy tomorrow night._

Ned stood and followed Jennifer out of the library back to their study hall classroom. His focus was still averted though, Missy was on vacation and Jennifer needed someone to comfort her, why not him?

* * *

"Ned, I think we should see other people," Missy calmly stated as her boyfriend's jaw dropped across the table.

"Missy, why would you want to break up, did I do something?" Ned's blue eyes filled with sadness as he brushed through his light brown hair, his gaze resting on the now empty plate in front of him.

Missy shook her head. "I just need someone more…mature," Missy refolded her napkin placing it next to her silverware.

Ned had definitely outdone himself with this dinner. A small candlelit table sat in his backyard, decorated by various torches. Rose petals covered the table's surface. Ned had even worn the suit his mother had forced him to get for special occasions, a royal blue tie hung perfectly against his light blue shirt and black jacket.

The dinner itself had been ordered from Missy's favorite restaurant in town, Martello's, it had been quite a high cost for Ned to be dumped. Missy was certainly not under-dressed though. Her blonde hair half up half down with curls framing her face and cascading down her neck. She wore a glittering gold dress with an uneven hem cut just above her knees.

She stood from her chair and tilted Ned's face to look her in the eyes. "You are an amazing guy, but I met someone else before we started going out, he wasn't ready for a relationship, but now he is. I'm sorry, take care though," just as Missy was about to kiss him goodbye, Ned pushed her back.

"Keep your pity and the kiss, now please leave my backyard," he stated removing her hand from his face. Missy grabbed her purse and marched out of the backyard beginning a long walk home.

* * *

"Honey, is everything okay, where's Missy going?" Laura Bigby stepped out the back door to find her son leaning against an oak tree.

"I guess she's going to find someone more…mature," Ned turned to face his mother who held out her arms for a hug. "Thanks mom, I'm just going to bed," he embraced his mom for a few seconds and headed back into the house starting up the stairs.

"I saw Missy storm off," Suzie sat at her bay window as Ned paced his room throwing off his formal jacket.

"Nothing good on TV?" Ned called to her, he knew Suzie was his closest friend, but it bugged him that she had been spying on his dinner with Missy.

"Ned, I know you think I was spying; I got back from Jennifer's house like just before Missy stormed off. What happened?" Ned stepped onto the small balcony that hung out below his window.

"She wants someone more mature, I guess two months older isn't mature enough," he replied leaning on the wooden railing.

"I never thought she was good enough for you, she didn't appreciate you in middle school or our other years of high school, why would she start now?" Suzie walked to the edge of her own balcony, just over a foot away from Ned.

"Thanks Suzie, so, how is Jennifer?" he loosened the grip the tie still held on his neck and unbuttoned the top button.

"She's doing better, what about you?" Suzie couldn't help but notice how a summer of soccer practice had left Ned quite nicely tanned.

_He's still my best friend, no matter how well, hot, he looks right now. Maybe this is finally my chance for him to see me differently; I can comfort him after being with that skank Missy. He'll see how much I care about him and maybe we could actually go out, as more than friends._

"You know even though it was only two months, I thought we'd last longer than that. Maybe actually taking some time to be single will be good though. I always have a date, even if I know the girl isn't right for me," Ned's blue eyes pierced through Suzie's brown eyes.

"You'll find that perfect girl, maybe you've already met her and you just don't realize it," Suzie reached for his hand as he gripped hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. The two friends stood on their balconies holding hands and talking 'til it was nearly eleven.

* * *

For clarification, they are juniors in high school. Before Missy, Ned would go on dates w/ various girls he really had no emotion for. Suzie's most recent boyfriend will be explained in Ch 2, same about the situation between Ned and Jennifer. I know it seems like a Ned/Suzie story, but trust me it's not, looks are deceiving.

Revision note: I realize how much better my writing has gotten since I wrote this. The changes are reflected in later chapters, I think anyhow.


	2. Envy

I forgot the disclaimer last time: I only claim rights to the plot of this story, not anyone in it.

I can't believe I got 2 reviews after just posting the story; it really got me excited to write more. I'm keeping the names that some characters were given in 'A Declassified Field Trip,' but I'll make mention as I write. Here is chapter 2, enjoy!

Revised as of 10/2011: Fixing the breaks again & some grammar

* * *

The next day of school seemed nearly unending as rumors were still circulating that Billy had broken up with Jennifer and of Missy dumping Ned the night before. Suzie hoped to avoid the rumors and chose instead to see how things had gone for Cookie's date.

"So, are you in the family yet?" Cookie shrugged, but a smile was visible as he exchanged books from his locker.

"Well, I took Ned's advice to make sure I dressed nice, arrived just a few minutes early, and I didn't use any inventions," Suzie's eyes widened, she was excited that he might have finally found the girl of his dreams.

"Her dad told me that he thought I was a good young man for Lisa to date, he even shook my hand and gave me a pat on the back, Lisa said it's a good sign," Suzie gave Cookie a small hug.

"That's great Cookie, you and Lisa are perfect together."

"I know. Oh, I promised to escort Lisa to her first period. See you later, Suzie," Cookie slammed his locker and rushed down the hall, oblivious to the latest rumors in the school. Ned was definitely not. To his own disappointment, he was actually early to school today and nearly everyone seemed to be swarming him with questions or comments.

* * *

"Ned, man I'm so sorry, what happened?" Jeff Harking replied giving Ned a pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the apology Jeff, but I'd rather not add to the gossip," Ned removed Jeff's hand and continued down the hall.

Jeff had finally managed to shed his nickname of Coconut Head when the students had entered 9th grade. Jeff had finally achieved the correct shaggy hairstyle where he no longer resembled an Oompa Loompa gone lost from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

"Bigby you're such a jerk." "Missy is so lucky to be rid of you." "Pig."

_Guess they heard a different story. _Ned thought brushing past a trio of former Missy groupies; they probably got bonus points for insulting him he guessed. No matter what people said to Ned, he just focused on getting to his locker and actually heading early to Mr. Valor's classroom.

"I suppose you've already guessed that the school knows about your break-up," Suzie's locker was just a few away from Ned's and she could tell he was already wishing the day was over.

"I'm curious, when the girl breaks up the guy, who did nothing wrong, how is it his fault?" Ned ripped out the few pictures he had of himself and Missy from his locker tearing them up before tossing them in the nearest trash can.

"High school kids are stupid. Remember when Isaac broke up with me. He was the one who had been cheating on me, but people blamed me for the relationship ending," Suzie shivered as she remembered her former boyfriend.

Her freshman year, Suzie had met a cute guy named Isaac Baker in her study hall. He was a sophomore at Michael Dukakis and seemed like the perfect guy. Isaac had treated Suzie like a queen and even taken her to the sophomore-junior prom. Isaac had hoped for a reward for all his well-mannered behavior and Suzie declined, he dumped her for a "more mature" girl.

"I still can't believe how stupid I was to think he actually cared about me."

"Suzie, you were just a freshman who hadn't ever had a real boyfriend. I think he's the one who's stupid. Any guy would be lucky to be your boyfriend," Ned wrapped his arm around Suzie's shoulder giving her a friendly squeeze. With Ned's arm still around Suzie, the two friends walked to class.

"It's going to be hard to have _two_ friends who've just gotten dumped. Jennifer said I was the only reason she could focus on her homework last night. I still don't see how, but at least she got the work done," Ned immediately perked up at the mention of Jennifer, she was a welcome relief to all the crap that was happening in his life.

"Where is Jennifer, I haven't seen her yet today?" Ned searched the halls for the girl he wished he was _really_ dating. As he released his grip on her, Suzie immediately missed the feeling of being so close.

At that moment, Jennifer Moseley made her morning appearance to the entire school ignoring each day old rumor and confidently walking to her locker. Within minutes, her volleyball friends, besides Suzie, had surrounded her and began telling her how stupid Loomer was. Jennifer glanced around the circle as she told the girls she wanted to focus on school and volleyball, not Billy Loomer. She glanced to Ned giving him a small smile before heading to her English class.

"I think I have a better chance now, she just smiled at me and I'm not taken or anything and neither is she and…" Ned continued to ramble about his possible relationship with Jennifer as Suzie left him standing, the warning bell signaling the day's real beginning.

* * *

When third hour finally came, both Ned and Jennifer had a lot of steam to blow off and they were in the perfect class to do so, gym.

"Okay class, since it is still warm out, I'd like to take you outside, this week we will be working on soccer, your forte I hear Mr. Bigby," Coach Braxton replied eyeing Ned.

"I may be pretty good, but I'm still learning," Coach Braxton nodded, approving the answer.

"Now everyone, I hope Bigby doesn't scare any of you, because today you'll be competing. I will assign two female captains and two male captains. Now board the bus, I haven't got all day," Braxton was the football coach of the school as well as the only one who voluntarily taught gym. He was a strict coach and a surprisingly fair teacher.

Somehow Ned, Suzie, Jennifer, Cookie, and even Lisa had ended up in the same gym class. Unfortunately, Loomer was also in their class.

"Jennifer, would you like to sit with me," Ned extended a hand toward the brown-eyed brunette. "Sure Ned," she took his hand as the pair boarded the bus, making sure that Loomer took notice of her actions.

"Hey Suzie, mind if I sit with you?" Nick Workhiser stood next to the empty seat beside Suzie. "Uh, sure Nick, I don't mind," Suzie scooted toward the window as she diverted her gaze from Ned and Jennifer who sat a few rows in front of her.

Nick took his seat and began talking with a nearby classmate as Suzie looked out the window, hoping it would clear her mind. Cookie sat with Lisa, the couple seemed to giggle every three seconds at some meaningless statement. Suzie hadn't been the only one watching Ned and Jennifer, though. Loomer was starting to realize how stupid he been the previous day, but Jennifer was unlikely to take him back.

* * *

"OK, where does it hurt?" Coach Braxton bent beside Jennifer, her entire right leg throbbing from the pain in her ankle.

"My whole leg hurts, but mostly my ankle. You don't think it's a sprain do you?" Jennifer's eyes grew wide as she feared the worst, especially with volleyball practice that night.

"I don't know Ms. Moseley; I suggest we just get to the nurse as soon as possible." The coach lifted Jennifer into the bus as the boys group quickly rushed to the empty scene. Suzie stood buried in the back of the crowd as Ned and Cookie managed to find her.

"What happened to Jennifer?" Ned glanced from Suzie to the ground to the bus and back to Suzie. "I-I," she began before Cookie interrupted.

"Where's Lisa?" Suzie pointed to the bus and Cookie ran in to find his girlfriend comforting an injured Jennifer.

"Well, what happened?" Ned's blue eyes widened as he awaited Suzie's response.

"I sort of tripped her, not on purpose though. We were both running towards the ball and I kicked it away, but she ended up tripping on my foot as I started running towards the goal and…," Suzie stared at the ground knowing Ned would hate her for injuring the girl of his dreams, even if by accident.

"Oh god, is she hurt?" Suzie shrugged.

"Coach isn't sure, but she might have a sprained ankle. He wants…," Ned rushed into the bus before Suzie finished.

As if the ride _to_ the soccer fields hadn't been torture enough; now Suzie had injured one of the Wolves best players and her best friends likely hated her. Jennifer didn't seem to harbor any grudge, at least not yet. She sat at the end of the bus with the Coach's rolled up jacket propping up her swelled ankle. Ned sat in the seat directly in front of her.

* * *

"I'm really sorry Jen. I didn't mean to trip you, I was just playing the game," Suzie was alone with Jennifer as the injured brunette had been placed on a futon in the Coach's office while he went to find Nurse Honey.

"I know you didn't mean to hurt me, Suzie. I think I just overstretched the tendon, I'm sure I'll be okay," Suzie leaned on the Coach's desk unable to look beyond Jennifer's injury.

"Are you sure you don't hate me?" Suzie shyly spoke finally looking to Jennifer's face.

"No, I don't hate you, but if you could get me another ice-pack, that would be great," Jennifer winced trying to sit straighter. Suzie nodded nearly sprinting out of the office.

Thankfully, Jennifer _had_ just overstretched the tendon, and the nurse assured her that by the following Monday she could go back to practice without any problems. However, for the rest of the day, Jennifer was required to use a crutch to ease the pain; Ned immediately offered to carry her books to which she thankfully agreed to.

* * *

It was now lunch and Jennifer had decided to join her other friends leaving Ned to talk to Suzie. "Did I mention I was sorry and that I didn't do it on purpose?" Ned held up his hand for Suzie to stop.

"You can stop apologizing; besides, now that Jennifer can't carry her books, I get to walk her to class, just like her boyfriend. I wish Monday was farther away," Ned stared at a far away table where Jennifer sat. She again gave him a small smile and waved, he excitedly waved back.

"Remind me to have her nearly sprain _my_ ankle," Suzie whispered.

"What was that?" Ned quickly glanced to Suzie.

"Nothing," she smiled as sweetly as possible. Ned raised an eyebrow, but turned back to watching Jennifer.

* * *

The weeks passed quickly through the rest of September and Jennifer recovered well helping the Wolves to win their first, second, and third games in the season. In early October Homecoming finally arrived. It was Ned's chance to ask Jennifer to be his date to the dance, and Suzie's chance to ask Ned to be hers.

"Jennifer, I was wondering if you had a date to the Homecoming dance," Jennifer noticed the blue-eyed boy's reflection in her small locker mirror.

"Billy, I'm not going with you. We're through remember, I've moved on, I suggest you do too," she slammed her locker pushing away the guy that had been her world for the previous three years. Loomer charged down the hall in the opposite direction determined to find a date.

"Ned, I really think she's going with someone else, why don't you just go with someone else?" Suzie tried to talk her best friend out of asking Jennifer to the Homecoming dance, but her words were no use.

"I think Suzie's right, Brett Montez was talking about how he was taking Jennifer, I think the ship has sailed," Cookie shut Ned's locker preventing Ned from perfecting his hair anymore.

"I'm still going to ask, even if it's 'do you have a date', there's no harm in that," Ned started off down the hall hoping to find Jennifer before the warning bell sounded. "Jennifer wait, can I talk to you for a minute?" Jennifer stopped at the entrance to Mr. Garland's room.

"Hi Ned, I guess I've got a minute, what's up?" Ned paused a second to gather his thoughts.

"I was just wondering if you had a date to the Homecoming Dance," Jennifer nodded, Ned's pulse nearly stopping. "I see, hey what about a double date then, you and your date and me and uh, mine," Ned suggested nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sure sounds fun. I'm going with Brett Montez, who are you taking?"

Ned didn't know who to say, Jennifer was the only girl he had wanted to go with, what now?

"I'm taking…Suzie," Ned called noticing his friend at the end of the hallway. Confused, Suzie approached Ned and Jennifer.

Ned again wrapped his arm around her shoulder and turned her away from Jennifer.

"Would you like to be my date to the Homecoming dance? We'd double date with Jennifer and… Brett?" Suzie did her best to avoid Ned's eyes, but failed greatly being sucked into Ned's plan with a fateful "Okay."

* * *

Nearly four years earlier, Suzie had been in a different position, but she had still been part of a double date that involved both Ned and Jennifer. It was 7th grade and Jennifer had been Ned's date at the "Around the World" dance. Suzie had gone with Jock Goldman, a former crush who had broken her heart, but promised he had changed. That night had been one of only a few plans that actually worked out for Ned; he kissed the girl of his dreams, Jennifer Ann Moseley. Suzie did her best to block out the memory, still unable to tell her best friend how she really felt about him.

* * *

So, random fact about this chapter: as I am actually a girl (Gunvald is just a name I stole from one of my original characters) I had to play soccer in gym with very prissy, "OMG, I broke a nail!" type girls. I, like Suzie, injured another player, however I merely kicked a girl in the shin, but we were both running towards the ball. Sadly, I never felt all that bad.


	3. A Dance and a Plan

This begins with the dance of course, but I decided to change some end elements from my initial posting. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

"Wow, Suzie you look great," Ned stood at his best friend's front porch in the same formal suit he'd worn several weeks earlier. A light blue tie hung around his neck, a white collared shirt under his black jacket.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Suzie replied hooking her arm through his. Suzie's long brown hair was pulled into a low ponytail, curls cascaded beneath it. A silk pink dress gently hugged her body's most defined features. Her black heels shined in the evening light as Ned escorted her to the car.

"Where are we meeting Jennifer and her date?" Suzie tapped Ned's chin causing him to realize he had been gawking at his best friend.

"Um, Burger Hut," Ned and Suzie quietly drove to the fast-food restaurant. Now six months after his 17th birthday, Ned had finally gotten a car, but he always walked or rode the bus to school to save on gas money.

Not far away from Ned's parking spot at Burger Hut, a brand new red pickup sat unoccupied as its passengers waited inside. "Shall we?" Ned said removing his keys from the ignition. The pair slowly made their way into the restaurant and enjoyed a quiet, somewhat awkward meal with Brett and Jennifer.

* * *

Once arriving at the dance, a fast-paced hip-hop song was playing. Jennifer immediately pulled Brett onto the dance as she excitedly stated, "Oh, I love this song." Ned pulled Suzie's hand intending to stay near Jennifer, but she pulled back.

"I don't think we should be attached to Jen the whole night, shouldn't we give them a chance to enjoy the dance without us?"

"I think you're missing the point of the whole 'double date' thing." Suzie scowled at Ned's remark.

"If I would have come anywhere near you two back in 8th grade, you would have come up with some lame excuse to get me to leave you alone," Suzie sharply responded.

Ned wanted to say something back, but Suzie was right. The pair turned from each other to look at the crowd of dancing students. After a very long minute passed, a slow song began to play.

"Do you want to dance?" Ned held out his hand. Suzie breathed a deep sigh, "Well, alright, but can you keep your hormones to a minimum?" Ned smiled leading Suzie to the dance floor.

Suzie shyly wrapped her arms around Ned's neck while he loosely held her waist. Soon they were only a few feet away from the jock and his beautiful date. Brett held Jennifer close; however she seemed to be trying to escape from his grasp.

Jennifer wore a red silk halter dress that caressed her every curve; her short black heels giving her just enough height. Her long brown hair was gently curled to frame her face and fell down her back. Brett, like Ned, wore a black suit with a dark green tie and white shirt.

"Hey, what happened to you guys? Brett and I came onto the floor, but I didn't see you two," Jennifer suddenly turned noticing Ned and Suzie.

_Oh thank god, maybe with Ned beside us Brett will stop trying to give me a hickey. I mean Ned and Suzie, wait is she blushing?_

"We got lost in the crowd, there's a lot of people here," Ned pulled Suzie closer to him hoping the action would make Jennifer jealous. She barely even noticed though, Brett had been trying to kiss her since the song began.

"Brett, would you mind if we switched partners on the next slow song? You could dance with Suzie and I'll dance with Ned," Jennifer looked pleadingly into Brett's green eyes. The sandy-blonde haired boy gave a confused shrug.

"I uh, I guess we could switch for at least one song," Brett responded. Just as he gave his answer, another slow song began to play. Like on cue in a Broadway musical, Jennifer and Suzie elegantly exchanged dance partners.

Ned tried to hide his excitement as he pulled Jennifer close to him, her arms gingerly surrounding his neck. Suzie was just as confused as Brett.

"So, you're a senior this year, right?" Brett nodded. His arms completely encircled Suzie's small waist, she had laced her fingers around his neck. Brett was about the same height as Ned, but instead of slightly shaggy brown hair, Brett's hair was quite short and mostly blonde with subtle streaks of brown.

"And you're a junior like Jennifer. She said you were on the volleyball team with her," Suzie nodded, though she was surprised the pair had talked about her.

"When did you talk about me?" Brett led her to a far section of the dance floor. "On the ride over here, she kinda wouldn't stop talking about you and that brown-haired guy," Suzie just smiled.

_Wouldn't stop talking about us? I think I have an idea._

The dance kept strong until 12:06 Saturday morning. Suzie ended up being around Brett a little more than Ned, but it gave her time to formulate her plan. She decided to tell Ned after the ride home.

* * *

"You've seem really anxious, is something up?" Ned leaned on the open passenger door. Suzie had a mischievous smirk on her face as she grabbed Ned's hand to follow her to the porch steps.

"Okay, I have this idea about how you could get Jennifer to maybe…fight for you." Ned gave a puzzled stare sitting next to Suzie on the steps.

"What are you thinking?"

"Brett told me that she couldn't stop talking about you and me on the ride from Burger Hut to the school. If she was talking constantly after just a boring dinner, imagine how she'd act if we were really a couple, or at least pretended to be."

"Wait a second, you're implying that you and I pretend to date to get Jennifer jealous," Suzie nodded. "We'd be holding hands constantly, saying romantically stupid nicknames to each other, and we'd have to kiss, a lot," Suzie had been focusing on Ned, but now turned to the ground.

_He's right, I could manage the hand-holding and every stupid nickname in the world, but could I really handle kissing him if I can't honestly be with him? However this is my only real chance to even be close to that. _

"What harm is there?" Ned had been staring at the ground too, but looked back to Suzie when she spoke.

"You're sure about this?" she shrugged.

"Alright, it's worth a try, I'll see you tomorrow then, _girlfriend_," he started to stand but Suzie held him back for a second.

Like earlier that night, Suzie held Ned's chin with her thumb and index finger, but this time she was angling his focus. She gently tugged him closer by his tie and slid her other hand from his chin to the back of his jaw. She closed her eyes pressing her lips to his.

Their kiss was short and unexpected. The only other times the two had ever kissed were when Ned was five, but she had kissed him and it had been his birthday, and in 8th grade.

* * *

It had been during the first days of spring. Jennifer had been going out with the exchange student Faymen Phorchin for the past two months, much to Ned's dislike. In an attempt to reach the warm sunny rays of spring, Ned had managed to crash into Suzie, knocking her to the floor.

Gazing into her brown eyes, he kissed her on impulse and left her dazed and confused sitting by a fire exit door. Suzie still didn't know that Ned had actually considered asking her out that year.

Ned leaped up from the steps and walked to his own house, nearly smacking into the door. "Bye," he called before rushing inside and sprinting up the stairs.

* * *

Monday came extremely slow, especially since Ned and Suzie avoided each other all weekend. Ned was thankful to find Cookie before school and told him the whole situation.

"So she kissed you?" Cookie had barely seen either of his friends in the past few days, mostly because of football practice. Currently, he was just the back-up quarterback, but next year he hoped to be captain and head quarterback.

"Yeah, and I'm really confused now, I actually kind of wanted to kiss her back," Cookie nervously chuckled at Ned's response.

"Kiss her back, what about Jennifer Moseley?"

"I don't know, I like her differently, she's the girl I want to be romantic with but, I didn't kiss her after the dance," Ned leaned his head on a nearby locker as Cookie closed his own.

"You've been avoiding her, haven't you?" Ned nodded. "Well, unless you're ready to talk right now, I suggest you go, now," Ned slowly began to walk towards his History class, but Cookie was pointing wildly for him to go the other way.

"Wow, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Ned had smacked into a girl heading to her locker.

"You've been known to do that," his friend's voice responded as she picked up her books.

"Suzie, I haven't seen you since the uh, well the," Suzie stood with her books back in hand.

"Since I kissed you," Ned could feel his face burning red, from what he wasn't quite sure.

"I'm gonna go to class," Ned ran past Cookie to grab his backpack and rushed to Mr. Valor's classroom.

"What did he tell you?" Suzie approached Cookie who began acting just as strange as Ned.

"Um, nothing really, the dance was fun, you guys kissed, the Packers lost," Cookie knelt to his backpack.

"Would you care to explain as far as the second one?" Suzie asked anger hinting in her tone.

"Which one was that, right you guys…" Cookie stopped as Suzie stared into his also brown eyes pleading for an answer. "Look, I think he's just really confused right now. All he told me was that it happened," Suzie sighed and headed to Valor's class.

_I can't believe she kissed me, wait I forgot about the whole fake go out thing, we'll have to kiss then too. Why can't it be easy to be best friends with a girl and still like another girl? _Ned was in his usual spot at the lunch table; his entire morning had been a blur.

Suzie had opened her mouth to say something at least seven times in Valor's class, but she never actually spoke. When gym came both seemed pretty out of it. The class had finished soccer the previous week and had been indoors the past few days. That morning they had played dodge-ball and Ned ended up on Jennifer's team against Suzie and Loomer.

He and Jennifer made a good team, but he never aimed at Suzie, or Cookie who was also on Suzie's team, he just pitched at Loomer. When their team won, Jennifer excitedly hugged Ned and he felt his stomach jump, lunch seemed the most torturous place to be at this moment.

"Suzie is eating with some other friends, it's just you, me, and Lisa today," Cookie slid the tray of 'cheesy crust pizza' in front of Ned. The brown haired boy shook his head, "I'm really not hungry, Cookie." Ned headed out to the small patio that sat outside between the cafeteria and gym entrances.

A blonde boy and dark-haired girl were talking about something, Ned hid behind a tall bush nearby as the couple came into sight. "Brett I just don't feel that way about you, sorry," Jennifer was about ten steps from the door when Brett grabbed her hand.

"If you don't like me then who do you like, that brown-haired dude from the dance, what was his name again?" Jennifer blushed, "I wasn't talking about, uh, him." Ned inched closer to the shrub in front of him. _Are they talking about me?_

"Whatever, your loss," Brett dropped her hand and headed back into the school. Jennifer sat at one of the tables trying to sort out her thoughts.

_I can't really be thinking about Ned Bigby, can I? I thought my crush on him ended when I got together with Billy, but with both of us single and him being the sweet guy he is, maybe it's worth a try. I wonder where he is right now._

At that second, Ned lost his balance and tumbled out of the bushes, severely scaring Jennifer. "What were you doing behind the bushes and how long have you been there?" Ned laughed nervously.

"I lost my wallet and thought it might be out here, but I've only been here like two minutes, I swear," Jennifer stared at him, she saw straight through the lie.

"I'm guessing your wallet is still in your pocket and that you heard everything I said to Brett," she smiled helping him to his feet. "No, just you turning him down, and everything after that," Ned stared at the ground fearing Jennifer would either punch him or lecture him.

"Do you know who I was just thinking about?" Ned shrugged. "You," he immediately looked into her eyes while his mouth hung open. "Would you like to join me for dinner and a movie tonight, Ned?"

"Yeah that sounds…wait, I can't, I have plans with someone," Ned could feel his heart fighting itself as Suzie popped into his head.

"Oh, maybe another time then," Jennifer said surprised and maybe a little jealous. She walked back into the school.

_Why did I just turn her down? I wouldn't even need to fake go out with Suzie if Jennifer already seems to like me. I need to find Suzie and tell her this stupid plan is off._

* * *

Ned ran back into the building hoping Suzie would be at her locker, luckily she was. "I think we should call off the whole pretend dating thing. Jennifer already likes me, everything else can just come naturally."

She turned to face him, "really, is that why she's flirting with that guy?" Ned looked down the hallway to see Jennifer giggling with a black haired football player.

Jennifer noticed Ned staring at her and gave him a look as though to say 'you had your chance' before turning back to the jock. Ned waited till she looked again before he grabbed Suzie and pulled her against him with a passionate kiss.

Again, Suzie was left dazed and confused as Ned rushed off to his next class. "What was that?" Jennifer asked racing up to Suzie. The shorter brunette just stared at the ground a minute before Jennifer shaking her shoulder brought her back to reality. "Suzie, what _was_ that?" Jennifer repeated.

"We…well we, okay actually I'm about as confused as you, but I have to go. See you around Jennifer," Suzie sprinted to her next class and to stare at her notebook the entire hour.

Jennifer was left alone a confused as much as humanly possible. Something was definitely up between Ned and Suzie and she wasn't sure she was all that okay with it.

* * *

I don't know that Moze & Ned ever actually kissed in front of Suzie in the series, but there will be confrontations in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review! Revision note: I abhore the use of describing a kiss as passionate, it sounds cheesy to me. All the same, I still used the friggin' word and I have no intnetion of changing it.


	4. Halloween

The consequences are, well not all that dramatic. Still, I hope you enjoy the chapter & review.

* * *

Ned did his best to avoid Jennifer after his kiss with Suzie, but she had been the only person he had talked to in study hall over the past few weeks. Not talking to her was painful, but he figured that talking to her would be worse.

"You could have told me you wanted to be with Suzie," Jennifer whispered from the desk behind Ned.

"You didn't seem to too disappointed, you were flirting with that dude in the hall like 30 seconds later," Ned whispered back.

There was a long silence before Jennifer responded back. "Look, honestly I thought you'd jump at the idea of us being able to hang out, I was excited. Maybe I just didn't read your emotions right."

"Look it's not that, I just…," Ned was interrupted by the study hall teacher. "Eh hehm," she grumbled and Ned and Jennifer remained silent for the rest of the hour. He didn't know how to explain why he'd kissed Suzie, not even to himself.

Jennifer was no closer to figuring out what was up with the two with Ned's cut-off answer. She'd barely had the nerve to confront Ned about the whole situation with Suzie as she still didn't know if she wanted to hear him say that he'd finally fallen for his best friend.

Both teens remained silent for the rest of the hour.

* * *

Ned was extremely glad he had soccer practice after school, but he wasn't up to his usual skill level.

"Girl problems, Bigby?" Coach Beckham took a seat next to Ned on the bench where the junior was hunched.

"I didn't know I was that obvious," Ned kicked at the ground beneath his feet.

"I was in high school once, liked two girls, glad I made the choice I did though."

"Which girl did you choose?" The coach patted Ned's shoulder, "the one I truly loved, the one you'll be counting on at your darkest and brightest hour."

_My darkest and brightest hour, I don't think I've made it to either one yet, more waiting, oh the joy._

* * *

Suzie and Jennifer weren't having the greatest time at volleyball practice either. The two were on opposite scrimmage teams and were taking aim at one another's heads. It wasn't until Mrs. Birch forced them to different corners of the room that the violent spiking finally stopped.

"I need a better job," the female coach declared shaking her head as Jennifer and Suzie glared from across the gym. The practice continued with a little less tension.

Once practice was over and the girls had all changed back to their regular clothing, Jennifer approached Suzie for the second time that day as the shorter brunette was seated on the bleachers.

"You've liked him for a long time haven't you?" Jennifer whispered so their passing teammates couldn't hear.

"What are you talking about? He's my best friend, never going to be anything more," Suzie replied as she stared at the gym floor after briefly glancing to Jennifer.

Jennifer sat down beside Suzie before continuing. "But I figured you two were a couple now, aren't you?" Suzie shook her head.

"That's what I was trying to explain. He likes you, not me Jen. That kiss was a mistake, trust me, if you hadn't been flirting with what's-his-face…it never would have happened." Jennifer suddenly felt sympathetic to her arch competitor. If Ned went out with Suzie, he could lose his best friend if they broke up; Jennifer was simply his classmate.

"Suzie, I'm sorry I…we should go to the mall this weekend, you want to?" Suzie shrugged.

"Yeah, whatever, look, I need to get home, see you tomorrow, Jen," Suzie called leaving the gym.

"See you tomorrow, Suzie," Jennifer responded back.

* * *

_Alright, I can't do whatever this is to Suzie when I don't really like her as more than a friend, at least I don't think I like her as anything more than a friend. Ugh, I need to end this, okay she's at her window, it's now or never._

It was just after 8 o'clock and Ned waved to Suzie from his own window motioning that they needed to talk. Within minutes, the seventeen-year-old faced his sixteen-year-old best friend on their separate balconies.

"Hey" she stood at the railing's edge, he walked to meet her. "Look, I told Jennifer everything and…" Suzie gripped the railing's edge.

"I was thinking about it during soccer practice and…" Ned had begun to speak only a second after Suzie.

"I think we should break-up," the two said in unison. Shocked by the other's response they looked up. "Did you just say we should break-up?" Ned pointed a questioning finger at Suzie.

She nodded, "Did you just say that too?" He nodded.

They stared at each other a moment before Suzie spoke. "So, do you think anyone heard about our little _relationship_?" Ned just shrugged, after all, the situation had arisen because of some half-thought out kiss, nothing serious.

"Doubtful," Ned replied smiling. "Guess it'd be kinda pointless to _break_-_up_, huh?" he said with a nervous chuckle. Suzie shrugged now staring at the railing. "Suzie…look about that kiss, I-,"

"Hey, you don't have to explain, I mean it's not like it _meant_ anything," Suzie said half-turning from Ned.

"That's the thing though," Ned said too quietly for Suzie to hear. She had no idea how awful that response made her friend feel, mostly because the mixture of guilt, sadness, and confusion was gone from his eyes by the time she looked up again.

"I have a good amount of homework left so, goodnight, Ned," she said heading back to her window only to be held back by a hand on her arm.

"Night Suzie, see you tomorrow," Ned whispered as he hugged the girl as close as the balconies would allow. When he let go, Suzie darted for her window hoping to hide the blush that had crept onto her face.

* * *

As October came to an end, Suzie, Ned, and Jennifer were all still single. Ned still liked Jennifer, but he couldn't get the thought of kissing Suzie out of his mind. Tonight though, he joined Cookie and Lisa for Seth Powers' annual "Monster Mash Bash." Unlike Jennifer and Billy, Seth had been dating Evelyn Kwong since 8th grade and the two were still together.

"Tonight, I'm just going to have fun, good, Halloween fun," Ned declared walking up Seth's front steps.

"We get it, we actually got it after you said it three times before I even pulled out of your driveway," Cookie pulled Lisa closer to him as two doormen ushered the three inside.

The basement of the Power's house had been transformed from a sports decorated den to a strobe-light freak fest.

"Hey guys, welcome to the party. Punch and snacks are over there and the DJ is taking requests," Seth motioned toward a table and the DJ as he spoke.

"Uh Seth, what are you?" Ned glanced at Seth's glittering costume. The blonde-haired basketball player sighed, his sparkling shirt was even more blinding with the strobe lights, a pair of black pants snugly covering his legs.

"Look, Evelyn is a huge ice-skating fan; I agreed that I would be this famous Russian skater she liked since she agreed to be the Bride of Frankenstein last year. To everyone else though, I'm an 80's rock star," Cookie and Ned did their best to contain their laughter, but eventually gave up.

Lisa nudged them both in the ribs. "I think it's sweet that you compromised with Evelyn, is she a famous skater too?" Seth nodded.

"I don't remember the name, enjoy the party guys," Seth strode over to Evelyn wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Ned was slightly sickened and felt suddenly lonely.

"I'm amazed at how you still seem squeamish at the sight of couples enjoying each other's company. You have to look beyond it someday," Ned groaned as Cookie tried to lecture more. He made his way to the snack table as Jennifer and Suzie came down the stairs laughing.

_Oh crap, I forgot about the fact that Seth always invites Jennifer and Suzie too. Why didn't I just stay home and hand out candy to annoying little kids or something? It can't get any worse though, right? Wrong, Missy's here. _

Missy had arrived about ten minutes before Ned, Cookie, and Lisa. Keeping to her personal promise, she was with a senior guy, oddly the same guy Jennifer had been flirting with a while back.

"Oh, Chad you're so funny," Missy giggled as she glared at Ned. He turned away just as Jennifer and Suzie approached him.

Jennifer wore a long, strapless yellow dress that puffed out slightly from her waist down. Her hair was done exactly like Belle in _Beauty and the Beast, _she only lacked yellow gloves and a dancing partner. Suzie wore a long blue dress, her hair pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. She too seemed to be waiting for a prince.

"Hi, Ned," the girls spoke in nearly perfect unison. Ned just nervously smiled. His costume consisted of black dress pants and shoes, his black jacket, a white collared shirt and a small white mask that perfectly covered about a third of his face.

"Hi Jennifer, Suzie, nice party huh?" the girls nodded.

"Um Ned, what are you?" Jennifer approached Ned. He pointed to the small mask.

"I'm the 'Phantom of the Opera,' but I'm not going to sing so don't ask." Jennifer smiled as her hand brushed the mask's plastic surface.

Ned felt a small shiver run down his spine even when her hand was gone. _Even with plastic on my face I'm acting like this around her. _Jennifer stayed only a small distance from Ned as the DJ began to play a slow song.

"Care to dance?" Ned extended his hand to Jennifer who readily accepted. Suzie smiled and waved as she watched the two cuddle on the dance floor.

_Well, I guess Belle really is dancing with her prince. Frick I hate dances. _Suzie gently leaned on the table behind her, her vision slightly blurring from unexpected tears.

"Looks like you could use a dance partner," Billy Loomer tilted Suzie's gaze so she was looking him directly in the eye.

"Loomer, I don't feel like dancing," he grabbed her hand, ignoring the statement.

"You mean you don't feel like dancing with me, right?" Suzie blinked away from his gaze and let him lead her to the dance floor. He brushed away her tears as he wrapped his arms closely around her waist and placed her arms around his neck. "One dance, then I'll leave you alone, promise," Loomer's costume was quite unlike his normal clothing.

His jeans were replaced by slim-fitted black pants similar to Seth's. A navy blue collarless shirt was mostly covered by a loose-fitting tan shirt. "Who are you supposed to be?" Suzie eyed her dance partner.

"I'm either a knight or prince, right now I'm a knight, my cape and crown are over in that chair," Billy spun Suzie to see the other items of his costume.

"A prince, aren't you aiming at the wrong princess?" Billy smirked and shook his head.

"Bigby doesn't want to be with you, he wants Jennifer. Is there something wrong with me finding you attractive?" Suzie blushed.

"Okay…you're dancing with me because Ned is with Jennifer?"

"No, I'm dancing with you because I think you look beautiful and a beautiful girl shouldn't be left alone at the snack table."

Suzie smiled up at him, "Thank you."

A few songs later, Ned and Jennifer decided to take a break, but Suzie and Billy continued to dance. "When did they start dancing together?" Ned glanced up from his cup of punch.

"I don't know," Jennifer replied taking a sip from her cup.

"Ned, you guys should come play two truths and a-is Suzie dancing with Loomer?" Cookie charged up to Ned and Jennifer. They just nodded at Cookie's question as Lisa approached the three.

"Would you two like to join our game?" Lisa adjusted her 50's headband. She and Cookie were Danny and Sandy from _Grease_, Cookie only agreed because he could wear a leather jacket.

"What do you say Jennifer?" Ned turned to his unofficial date.

"Sure," she grabbed his hand and they followed Lisa and Cookie to join the rest of the group.

* * *

"Alright, does everyone know how to play?" Lisa stood as five of her classmates gathered around her. Jennifer said she had heard of the game, but it had been a long since she had played, Claire Sawyer agreed with Jennifer.

Claire Sawyer had dreamed of being a lawyer since she was in 4th grade, for this reason she had always worn a business suit in middle school. By high school she still intended on achieving her goal, but she didn't dress the part during school. She was the girlfriend of Matthew Sumter who had always been known as Backpack Boy in middle school. The two had begun dating at the end of 9th grade and currently wore coordinating pirate costumes.

"Well, the game is really simple," Lisa began, "you say two truthful things about yourself as well as a lie, and we then have to guess which one is the lie. Whoever guesses right first is the next player. Everybody got it?" a general sound of understanding replied.

"So, we know how to play, now who goes first?" Cookie asked as Lisa took a spot beside him.

"I'll go," Matt announced. "Now let me think. My middle name is Ferdinand, I have a pet snake, and I actually used everything from that backpack in middle school."

"You don't have a pet snake," a voice called approaching the group. Jeff had his arm wrapped around his date R.J.

"You're right I don't Co-Jeff," Jeff snickered as Matt glared at him. "What?"

"Your middle name is Ferdinand," everyone except Claire silently laughed at this.

"Well Jeff, can you tell us two truths and a lie about yourself?" Jeff nodded removing his arm from R.J.'s shoulders.

"Easy, my favorite color is green, R.J. and I just made-out in the closet, and I got a 96 on my last math test."

"You got a 96, I got like 87," Ned paused. "Wait a second, is that the lie?" Jeff's face turned a bright crimson as R.J. pulled on his hand.

"We have to go now, right Jeff?" he waved to his friends and quickly followed the red-haired girl's lead.

"Glad I didn't put my coat in that closet," Jennifer stated as the group burst into laughter. "Who's next?" she asked as the laughs quickly died down.

"What about you, Jennifer?" Matt motioned toward her.

"Hmm, I'm allergic to chocolate, my favorite color is red, and my first kiss is in this circle."

Lisa gave a smile, "Jennifer Moseley, you love chocolate way too much to be allergic to it," Jennifer smiled, Lisa wasn't one of her closest friends, but the two girls still chatted whenever they passed in the halls.

"Who was your first kiss?" Claire inquired, not all that interested in the game anymore.

"Not my turn anymore. Let's hear from you Claire," the young African-American junior rolled her eyes.

"I will find out," she smartly grumbled leaning into her boyfriend's shoulder as she thought.

"My parents promised to give me a car by Christmas, my favorite actor is Orlando Bloom, and I can play the accordion," Matt gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Accordion?" he whispered, she just smiled.

"You can't play the accordion, can you?" Lisa scanned Claire's face. She shook her head.

"Now is it my turn?" Lisa glanced around the circle.

"Okay, Simon is my first official boyfriend, I got a 97 on Valor's last exam, and I'm horrible with computers," Lisa waited for a response.

"Am I the only one who doesn't get like amazing grades?" Jennifer grabbed Ned's hand with a quiet giggle. He smiled at her while his stomach flipped and his heart seemed to near his throat.

"Maybe, sorry dude, but I know my girl is a genius with computers," Lisa smiled taking Cookie's hand.

"Now as for me, I am an amazing juggler, I still go trick-or-treating every year, and I know the words to _Summer Nights_." Ned began to burst out laughing.

"You are the worst juggler I've ever known, but I can't believe you actually know the words to that song," Ned said as he calmed his laughter.

Cookie glared at his friend, "yeah, yeah, what are your truths and lie." Jennifer still held Ned's hand and he again glanced to her as he thought of the best response.

"Well, my favorite color is blue, the girl I first kissed is in this room, and Mr. Valor is my favorite teacher."

"Right, you hate Valor, I know that without you even actually telling me," Cookie pulled Lisa closer to him as Jennifer let go of Ned's hand.

"Your first kiss is in this room?" he looked at the floor and nodded. "Suzie?" her brown eyes melted through him. Ned nodded again. Jennifer glanced up to see said brunette talking happily with her ex-boyfriend. Seriously she was sharing too much with the girl.

"Will you look at the clock, I just remembered that I promised my parents I'd be home by 11:30, see you guys Monday," Jennifer stood from the group and started toward the stairs.

Ned caught her hand, "let me walk you home."

Jennifer gave a sigh. "Fine, I guess it would be better than having to call my parents or walk home by myself." Ned waved to Cookie as he followed Jennifer up the stairs.

* * *

"Jennifer, my first kiss was when I was like five, I honestly wouldn't remember it without my parents," Ned reached for Jennifer's hand as they walked along the sidewalk outside Seth's house, but she pulled away.

"Look Ned, it's not the kiss thing, I just, I'm tired of…I don't know, sharing you," Jennifer said in nearly a whisper. She stopped walking to face him, only to see a look of pure confusion on his face.

"Is this like…an ultimatum?" Ned asked running a hand through his brown hair. Jennifer immediately shook her head, she was in no position to give him an ultimatum; they weren't even dating.

"No, I'm not saying you shouldn't be friends with Suzie, I just think it's a…a bad time for us to…like each other." She pulled the light jacket she had worn before heading to the party tighter. Ned was quickly at her side, putting an arm around her shoulder to keep her warmer. At first Jennifer tried to push him away but found she didn't have the nerve to.

They walked in silence for a long way avoiding eye contact as well. Shortly before they reached Jennifer's house, Ned moved to grab Jennifer by the hand and stop her from walking further.

"Ned what are you-," Jennifer was cut short as Ned's lips were on hers, the mask somehow gone. She felt his hand cup her left cheek as her arms circled his and was surprised when his tongue began to approach her lips, but she gladly accepted pulling herself closer to him.

Ned broke away suddenly, slightly out of breath. "If that's how you say goodnight to your dates, how on earth have you managed to stay single yet, Ned Bigby?" Jennifer asked with a small laugh.

"Believe me, I don't do that with any of the girls I've gone out with," he replied moving to pick up the mask. "So, uh, how far are we from your house?" Jennifer pointed to a white house with black shutters and trim on the corner of the following block.

They reached her house, which was mostly dark, within a few minutes. Now even more confused by Ned's feelings, but quite happy about the kiss, Jennifer gave Ned a quick hug while whispering goodbye before heading into her house.

* * *

While Ned and Jennifer had gone to play the game with Cookie and Lisa, Suzie had been talking with Billy Loomer. She was really starting to enjoy his company, but the fact that he had been with Jennifer still bugged her.

"So, are you just being nice to me because you're on the rebound yet?" Suzie asked the former bully. Loomer smiled as the teens walked to collect Loomer's cape and crown.

"No, I'm being nice to you because I enjoy your company, besides, I'm always a gentleman," he mischievously smiled brushing her cheek with his hand."It's almost midnight, could I give you a ride home?" he folded the cape across his arm holding out the other for Suzie to take.

"I, uh-you're a safe driver, right?" Billy nodded.

"Always," she took his arm cautiously. Seth's party had cleared out pretty well by this time and Billy and Suzie were some of the last people to leave.

* * *

"Ned, I just got a call from Suzie's mom, she still isn't home," Cookie's voice boomed. Ned had just barely made it back to his house and laid his head on his pillow when his cell phone rang.

"What time is it?" Ned groggily replied.

"Like 1 something, I tried Suzie's cell but it said the number was out of order," Ned began to reawaken and stood from his bed.

"Where are you, Cook?" Cookie gave a heavy sigh.

"I'm in my room, the police won't search for Suzie until it's been 24 hours, but I think we need to go look for her."

Ten minutes later the two boys were driving around town in Cookie's black Pontiac Trans Am, they yelled at every corner for their friend. "Do you know what time she left?" Ned scanned the streets for any sign of his friend.

"She left at like 11:50 or so, with Loomer." Ned's eyes widened as he feared how good Loomer truly was even after dating Jennifer.

"We need to find her," Ned's voice took a harsh and serious tone.

Suddenly, Cookie slammed on the brakes as he noticed a car speeding down the street only a block away. "That's Loomer's car," Cookie floored the gas pedal and turned to where Loomer's blue car had just come from.

"Suzie…Suzie…are you out here?" Ned sprinted out of Cookie's car. A quiet cry came from a gathering of trees that had been planted by a nearby park. When Ned reached the person crying, he found Billy Loomer laying on the ground bleeding as Suzie sat crying beside him.

"What happened?" Suzie gasped, surprised at the sight of Ned. She tried to stand, but couldn't find the strength.

"We…were driving by the park…Billy thought it would be fun to just go on the playground, you know like you and I have done sometimes during the summer…He parked along the sidewalk and we started walking toward the swing set.

"Then some guy attacks me from behind…knocking me to the ground, Billy had turned back to his car to make sure it was locked I think. Billy rips him off of me and they just started throwing punches…The guy got a lot of hard punches in the face and chest…I tried to help Billy but the guy shook me off pretty fast. He was about to attack me again…but he heard voices, grabbed the car keys, and took off."

Ned knelt beside Suzie and hugged her as she continued to cry and occasionally shiver. "I'll call 9-1-1, where's your phone?" Suzie pointed to a small pile of broken plastic in front of a nearby rock. "I see," Ned released Suzie telling her to either lean against a tree or the rock while he tried to help Loomer.

Suzie had placed her small jacket under Loomer's head for a pillow, but she hadn't really had the nerve to do anything more. Ned knew he had to cover the gashing wound on Loomer's forehead, so he wrapped the injured boy's head with the ripped sleeve of his dress shirt.

"I hope my mom doesn't kill me for destroying this shirt," Ned tried to smile at Suzie, she calmed a little. An ambulance arrived a while later and Loomer was taken to the hospital with many possible injuries greater than the head wound. The paramedics also suggested that Suzie be treated for her various wounds, but she said there was nothing serious.

* * *

"Suzie, I'm sorry," Ned ran his hand across Suzie's back as they waited for news about Loomer in the hospital.

"It's not your fault, I just want him to be alright," Suzie continued to crumple her handful of tissue while her gaze still stayed on the white linoleum.

Billy Loomer was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit overnight since he had lost a lot of blood from the head wound and several cuts across his chest and arms. The attacker had apparently cut him with a knife as well as pounded with his fists. The doctors believed that Loomer's condition would improve dramatically within the next day though.

* * *

Suzie and Ned finally went home about 2am, extremely exhausted from the day's events. Suzie returned to the hospital that afternoon having eaten and slept very little. She was told that Billy had been admitted to a regular room, he had woken up only a few hours before.

"Billy?" Suzie slowly approached the hospital bed.

"I'm glad to see you," Loomer whispered attempting to sit up. His usually slate-blue eyes were blood-shot, but he still managed a smile at the sight of Suzie.

"How are you feeling?" she placed her left hand on his.

"A lot better now," he answered as she smiled looking directly into his eyes.

"I…I wanted to thank you for saving my life, it was really brave what you did," he squeezed her hand. "Don't mention it, I-no one deserves to be hurt," he managed to straighten against the thin hospital bed frame.

"You still saved me, I won't forget that," with her right hand she gently stroked his cheek and hair. Making sure not to disrupt any of the IV's or other machines, she gave him a soft kiss on his temple. "I'll come back tomorrow, get well soon, okay?" Billy smiled and nodded.

* * *

In my first posting, Suzie gave Loomer a kiss on the lips. I don't want them to do this little "I like you but I don't" game, so I changed the kiss to his temple.


	5. Luck

Since Suzie is already spelled weird, I'm making her full name be spelled weird too. (It's still pronounced Susan). Reviews are always appreciated.

* * *

As she had promised, Suzie returned to the hospital Sunday afternoon. Loomer wasn't quite as pale as he had been the previous day and his eyes were a lot less bloodshot. A middle-aged woman sat in a chair near his bed.

"Suzie…I'd like you to meet my mom. Mom, this is Suzanne Crabgrass, but most people just know her as Suzie." The woman held out her hand and smiled politely at the young brunette. The woman's sandy blonde hair fell just above her shoulders and it looked like she hadn't got much sleep in the past two days.

"So, you're the young woman my son told me about. Well, I can see why he- I mean, it's nice to meet you Suzie," Mrs. Loomer said as she noticed her son trying to hide a blush. The woman shook hands with Suzie before the girl moved to sit on Billy's opposite side.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Loomer. I don't know what I would have done if Billy hadn't been with me to…save me," Suzie looked to her blue-eyed hero who was still blushing a feverish red.

After quite a few more blushes from Loomer as his mom told Suzie about several stunts he had pulled throughout his life, the tension that once filled the stark hospital room vanished. Suzie was amazed at how content she felt listening to Mrs. Loomer talk and just being near Billy. With Ned completely out of her mind, Suzie giggled as Loomer blushed while his mom continued with several childhood stories.

* * *

Ned still felt slightly dead from Friday night. He had lost more sleep in his own mind's confusion than with concern for Loomer. Even though his kiss with Jennifer had been perfect, he couldn't help but feel that he had spaced something out.

"Something troubling you sweetie," his mother stared at her son as they sat at the kitchen table for lunch.

"Oh, I just have a lot on my mind is all; I'm going to work on some homework," he trudged up the stairs and into his room.

After about an hour and a half, Ned heard a commotion from somewhere near his window. _Maybe it's Suzie; I wonder where she's been. _Ned stood from his desk chair which gave an exhausted creak as he stepped to the window. As he guessed, Suzie had just arrived back. She flounced around her room in a rush as though she was searching for something.

Ned hoped she would notice him standing beside his window soon, when she didn't he made the short trip to her balcony and knocked on the window. "Looking for something?" he asked as she opened the window.

"Maybe," she returned to searching her room.

"Would you like some help, I'd be glad to take a longer break from my math homework," he hopped into her room as she held up a sheet of paper triumphantly. "What's that?"

"You're in a very interrogative mood?" Ned gave a puzzled look.

"A very _what_ mood?" Suzie chuckled a little; she forgot that Ned's vocabulary wasn't exactly the most extensive.

"Questioning, all you've only been doing is asking me constant questions," she tested a pen on a small piece of scratch paper.

"Oh, I just haven't seen you for a while and we haven't really talked much since the hospital, so I…" Suzie held her hand over Ned's mouth.

"You don't have to apologize, Billy is doing better, and I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't arrived when you did," she said before she gave him a short hug. "I'm heading back to the hospital. I'll see you Monday, and Ned," the brown-haired boy stared at his best friend who was now standing at her door.

"Yeah, Suzie," she motioned to the window.

"Close that when you leave, please. Which would be now," Ned scrambled to leave the room and quickly shut the window behind him. He heard Suzie's door click shut as he stepped onto his own balcony.

_She's never been one to just avoid hanging out me, especially to go hang out with someone like Loomer. How the heck did my best friend start liking the guy that once dated the girl of my dreams?…I wonder if Jennifer is busy today?_

Ned grabbed his phone and dug into the pockets of his costume for Jennifer's cell number. She and he had become better friends, but after last night, she had given him her number.

"Just don't call me at like 3 am or something, I like sleeping uninterrupted," she had told him as she delicately placed a ripped piece of paper into his hand. How and why she had been carrying the slip was beyond Ned's comprehension. He was too ecstatic at the thought of finally being able to call her.

"Hello," Jennifer's voice replied after two rings. Ned smiled to himself at the mere sound of her voice.

"Hi Jennifer, it's Ned. I was just wondering if you'd like to do something with me today, maybe go catch a movie or something," a 5-second pause spanned as Ned's heart seemed to near his throat.

"Yeah, that sounds great. Did you want to meet at the mall theatre or should we meet at one of our houses?" Ned sorted through the consequences of each situation. _Hmm, have my parents embarrass me, have her parents embarrass her, or sit in a sticky-floor mall theatre. I think I'll go for sticky floor._ "How about we meet at the mall in about an hour and then we can decide what movie we'd like to see from there?"

"Sure, I'll see you in an hour, Ned. Bye." Just before Jennifer clicked off the line Ned managed a quick, "Bye, Jennifer." He tossed the phone to floor as he laid back on his bed replaying their kiss in his mind. "Everything will be fine. Jennifer is going to a movie with me and Suzie is…" he sat up and stared at the empty room across from his.

_How _do _I feel about Suzie? I should be glad that she's found someone willing to actually get put in the hospital for her, even if it is Loomer. _Ned pushed the idea out of his head and decided to shower before his movie date with Jennifer.

* * *

Ned hugged Jennifer close to him as the two sat in the middle of a not-too-crowded theatre. They had decided for a comedy, but they had stopped paying attention to the movie as its plot seemed to become stranger each minute, though Ned had found a new appreciation for penguins.

"I hope I never have Chuck's luck, or odd powers," Jennifer whispered as she leaned her head on Ned's shoulder.

He quietly laughed in agreement. "He does sort of guarantee two things though, you find your true love and you…" Jennifer put a finger over his mouth.

"I know what else they get, no need to detail it."

Ned rubbed Jennifer's shoulder affectionately agreeing to stop talking. She smiled at him and their attention was permanently away from the movie once she leaned over to kiss him. Neither teen cared anymore about how the movie ended, but they figured that "happily ever after," fit in there somewhere.

* * *

Revision note: I apologize to anyone who read the original posting and was offended when I called Good Luck Chuck pathetic. I have since seen the movie, but while I didn't think it was too terrible, it is not a movie I would watch again. Songfic for the next chapter-the only chapter I have no real intention of editing.


	6. Everything You Want

Disclaimer: If I owned NDSSG, I would not have cancelled it, if I owned "Everything You Want," by Vertical Horizon; I'd probably be a lot richer. Lyrics are bold and italicized some alterations for story purposes.

--

_**Somewhere there's speaking, it's already coming in oh & it's rising in the back of your mind**_

_**You never could get it unless you were fed it now you're here, & you don't know why**_

Suzie wasn't exactly excited for Monday; she would have preferred to keep Billy company, but the doctors weren't allowing him to come back 'til later in the week. Rumors spread quickly through the middle-sized high school and the brown-eyed brunette knew that she was definitely part of them. She did her best to ignore everything as she made her way to her locker.

_**But under skinned knees & the skid marks past the places where you used to learn**_

_**You howl & listen, listen & wait for the echoes of angels who won't return**_

"Suzie, I heard about what happened. Simon said he hasn't been able to get a hold of you all weekend. Are you okay? Is Loomer okay?" Lisa continued to ramble even as she wrapped Suzie in a hug.

"I'm alright, Lisa. Billy is still in the hospital, but he's doing better." Lisa gave a relieved sigh and released Suzie from her tight grasp.

"So, where have you been all weekend? Simon said he called your house a couple times and your mom said you were out. Even Ned said he'd barely seen you over the past few days."

_**He's everything you want, he's everything you need. He's everything inside of you that you wish you could be.**___

_**He says all the right things at exactly the right time, but he means nothing to you, and you don't know why.**_

She really had blown off her friends, but she had had good cause, didn't she? She couldn't help but wonder if her feelings for Ned had changed in just a three day span. But would the feelings return once Billy Loomer returned to full health.

"I didn't mean to ignore anyone, Lisa. I was just concerned for Billy. I should get going though, I don't want to be late for 1st period," she dashed down the hall toward Mr. Valor's classroom.

"You still have ten minutes," Lisa called after Suzie's rapidly retreating form. "Whatever then," Lisa headed for her own locker. She happily greeted Cookie with a peck on the cheek as he stood waiting at her locker; a goofy smile spread across his face at the sight of her.

--

_**You're waiting for someone to put you together you're waiting for someone to push you away**_

_**There's always another wound to discover there's always something more you wish she'd say**_

Ned quickly strode to his locker and checked the clock on his phone. "Good, I still have about eight minutes, I will not be late today," he mumbled to himself shoving the phone into his pocket.

"Hey, how was the rest of your weekend?" Ned jumped a little as he had been shoving books into his backpack. He hadn't expected the greeting. Jennifer gave a small giggle; but she couldn't help feeling a little bad that she'd scared him. "I didn't mean to surprise you so much. I just thought I'd say hi," she smiled at the tall blue-eyed boy.

"Don't worry about it; I'm not much of morning person. And the best part of my weekend was definitely all the time I spent with you," he blushed trying to brush his hair from his face.

"That's so sweet. I really liked being with you too. I think I should get to class though, see you later," she began to head for her 1st period.

"Hey, Jennifer, hold on second," she returned back to him, a smile playing on her lips.

"You didn't give me a chance to say bye," he pulled her close and softly kissed her, breaking the kiss quickly. He grabbed his backpack and headed down the hall whispering, "Bye Jennifer," before he left.

--

Ned took his usual seat beside Suzie who seemed entranced in her book. _She's barely talked to me all weekend. What's up with her? _

"Hey Suzie, busy weekend?" his friend silently nodded. "So, how's Loomer doing?" Suzie's gaze stayed on her book.

"Better, he should be back by Wednesday or Thursday."

"Oh, that's good, how are you feeling?" she finally looked him in the eye.

"Fine, just a little worn-out from the whole experience," her eyes seemed anxious, like she couldn't stand being here, but Ned let the notion go as Valor stood and began his lecture.

--

_**She's everything you want, she's everything you need. She's everything inside of you that you wish you could be**_

_**She says all the right things at exactly the right time, but she means nothing to you, and you don't know why**_

Ned had completely forgotten about trying to get Suzie to talk to him by third period. He couldn't really care much though as he jogged alongside Jennifer on the school's indoor track.

"So, are you ready for that big test in Valor's class Friday?" Jennifer was used to running and could easily talk and run.

"We have a test Friday? People really need to tell me about this kind of stuff," Ned replied in a half-serious, half-joking tone."Seriously, we have a test Friday?"

"Yes, Ned, we have a test Friday. Would you like to study at my house say, Thursday?"Ned grinned and nodded.

"That sounds great, does 7 o'clock work?" This time Jennifer nodded.

Ned had barely even noticed Suzie the entire class period until she passed the couple at that exact moment. Their eyes met, but he could detect no hint of jealousy or truly any emotion at all. She gave him a small smile and picked up her pace a little.

--

_**But you'll just sit tight and watch it unwind it's only what you're asking for**_

_**And you'll be just fine with all of your time it's only what you're waiting for**_

The rest of Monday blurred by, but everyone was surprised to see Billy Loomer dropped off at the school the following morning.

"Billy, I thought the doctors said you wouldn't be able to make it back 'til Wednesday at the earliest?" Suzie greeted him with a gentle hug.

"What can I say? I was getting sick of that hospital bed and I missed being involved with the rumor mill," he laughed as Suzie helped him up the front steps.

"Loomer, wow that was a quick recovery." Cookie was escorting Lisa to her 1st period, which just so happened to be near Loomer's locker.

"I don't like hospitals, Cook. Besides, high school is too boring without Billy Loomer," Suzie nudged him, not very harshly, but he still winced.

"Sorry, but you don't have to be so arrogant," Loomer nodded taking Suzie's hand in his own.

"You're right, let me walk you to class," it was more a question than a statement.

Suzie smiled, "okay, fine, but no 'bragging' and I need to stop at my locker first."

He gave her a single nod, "fair enough." As the pair reached Suzie's locker, Suzie noticed Ned standing at his.

"Bigby, how ya' been?" Loomer called as Ned whipped around to face the pair. Loomer was leaning his tall frame against Suzie, his lighter blue eyes actually seemed friendly, a sight that Ned did not find comforting.

"Uh, I'm fine, Loomer. How are you?" One brow arched as he stared at his former bully. Loomer took a step towards Ned placing his hand on brown-haired boy's shoulder.

"Listen, I wanted to thank you, Suzie told me how you called the ambulance and all," Loomer stated barely above a whisper.

"You're welcome," Ned simply replied shrugging off Loomer's hand.

_**Out of the island and into the highway past the places where you might have turned**_

_**You never did notice, but you still hide away anger of angels who won't return**_

Ned quickly walked down the hall actually arriving early for Mr. Valor's class, too early. "Mr. Bigby, you realize my class won't actually start for another ten minutes, why the sudden on-time attitude?" Ned took his seat, hoping the teacher would drop the subject. "Excuse me, I believe I asked you a question," Ned stared up at the green-eyed history teacher.

"Sorry Mr. Valor, I just realized my grades aren't that great for your class. I'm trying to bring my grade up sooner rather than later," he lied as the teacher nodded.

"I see. Mr. Bigby, though I don't make this offer often, especially to a student with tardy tendencies as yourself, I am here if you need to talk with someone. Of course, Mrs. Shaben is also available."

"Thanks Mr. Valor, but I think I'd rather not discuss my personal life with you, or the school counselor," Ned turned his gaze to his desk. The teacher returned to his own desk and began sorting through his lesson plans.

_**--**_

_**He's everything you want, he's everything you need. He's everything inside of you that you wish you could be**_

_**He says all the right things at exactly the right time, but he means nothing to you, and you don't know why**_

Suzie stared at her still closed locker a minute. She found it odd that Ned might actually be jealous of her newfound closeness to Loomer, well, just the fact that he _could_ be _jealous_ of it. _Maybe he just still doesn't quite believe he can trust Billy. I can't blame him for that; the guy was his prime middle school bully._

"You okay, Suzie?" Billy's voice jolted Suzie from her thoughts.

"Huh? I'm fine, just thinking is all," she quickly opened her locker to retrieve her books. "Okay, let's go," she grabbed Billy's hand slowly leading him to Valor's classroom. He pulled her back, stopping her.

"What's wrong?"

"What are you talking about?" Billy took his hand from her grasp and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"I may not know you as well as Ned, but I know that something is definitely wrong right now tell me." Suzie shook her head.

"I can't right now, maybe lunch," she quickly entered Valor's classroom absently sliding into the seat beside Ned.

_**I am everything you want, I am everything you need. I am everything inside of you that you wish you could be**_

_**I say all the right things at exactly the right time, but I mean nothing to you, and I don't know why**_

The two best friends were silent for one in few times of their friendship. They both fully paid attention to Mr. Valor's lecture on 14th Century Ireland and England and the many wars that occurred in the island nations. Neither teen focused on anything other than the notebook and writing utensil on their desk or the middle-aged man rambling at the head of the classroom.

_**And I don't know why**_

_**Why, why I don't know**_

_**--**_

As with any story, please review, I enjoy responses in every way.


	7. Awkward

REVISED as of 12/2011. I have revised much of this chapter from its original posting so the characters are not so overdramatic.

Disclaimer: Have I done this lately?

* * *

Antoinette Birch had always loved sports when she was young, volleyball being her favorite. It was why the woman had become coach of the Wolves nearly six years ago, but the job came with a price. She had no issue training her girls to be amazing players; it was the social lives that some of them brought onto the court that worried her. She tried her best to teach her girls to leave personal problems in the locker room, unless they could use the focused energy to better their game. It was obvious that whatever was bothering Suzie Crabgrass could not.

"Crabgrass, pay attention," Mrs. Birch called as the brunette let another perfectly set volleyball fall to the floor beside her.

"Sorry, Mrs. Birch. Can I just take five?" The middle-aged woman sighed before waving her hand to the bleachers. Suzie had been missing hits all practice, which had not gone unnoticed by anyone, especially Jennifer.

Distraction seemed contagious as several other girls kept turning their gaze to Suzie rather than playing their position. "Let's just call it a day," Mrs. Birch gave with an exhausted sigh. The crowd of upperclassmen females herded into the locker rooms more quietly than was normal of them.

"Suzie, are you alright?" Jennifer questioned taking a seat on the third row bleacher near Suzie. The shorter brunette nodded. Truly, her mind was a million places and she hadn't the slightest clue as to how to collect it.

"It's been a long two weeks, Jen. I just wish finals weren't coming up so fast." Jennifer stared absently at the gym floor. Her co-captain was right; the group was to compete that very weekend for the state title.

"Yeah, I know. Better to get it over with though, right?" Jennifer said as Suzie merely shrugged. The taller brunette sighed. " Hey, so…um, how's Billy?" Jennifer kept her eyes on the floor as she didn't want to see the questioning look she expected from her friend.

"He's doing a lot better, he even got his stitches out the other day," she heard Suzie respond, even the girl's tone half-questioning. "Why do you ask, Jen?"

"N-no reason, you just hear a lot of things in this school. I should go change, see you around." With that Jennifer quickly went into the locker room leaving Suzie to ponder her many thoughts.

* * *

The school was a mere two weeks from Thanksgiving Break and Suzie had been wondering whether or not she should invite Billy to the joint supper her, Cookie's, and Ned's families held the day after the national day of thanks. She figured Ned would be inviting Jennifer as the two had become an official couple only that past weekend. She had been unintentionally avoiding Ned as whenever she saw her former closest friend, his girlfriend was at his side.

"Cookie, my dad wants you to come over for Thanksgiving. Can you make it?" Lisa asked on the other end of her boyfriend's phone. It was just a week until the national holiday set aside to overeat and watch football. For that reason alone, Ned was avoiding his house while his mother began her preparation for the large feast.

"Yeah, yeah, sure I can, I'll just let my mom know." Cookie ran over to Ned who was seated in a beanbag chair, reading a comic. "Guess what?" he whispered tapping Ned on the shoulder as he covered the mouthpiece of the phone. "I'm having Thanksgiving dinner with Lisa's family." Ned gave a thumbs up and returned to the comic. "I find your lack of enthusiasm…very…unenthusiastic."

"Very poetic Vader," Ned whispered back shielding his view of Cookie with the comic book. It wasn't that Ned wasn't happy for his friend, he just hated the idea that he would be celebrating uncomfortably with his relatives. For the past three years it was the same: what were his plans for college, how were things with Suzie, how was Cookie, who was he currently dating, and all sorts of other questions that just made him shovel food into his mouth faster.

"Five, yeah, sounds great, I'll see you then. Bye." Cookie smiled as he set the phone on his dresser before falling onto his bed.

"Do you want me to leave?" Ned asked as he brought the comic down and gave his friend a sarcastic smile.

"Think what you want, but I think I've found the girl I could spend more than just high school with." Cookie sat up and grabbed the comic from his blue-eyed friend. "The Hulk? Not one of my favorites, he's too little brain too much brawn."

"I'm a seventeen-year-old boy not allowed to drive his car while the relatives are in town, I'll need the entertainment of something," Ned replied snatching back the colorful book.

"Dude, it's called TV, or just invite Jennifer over to your house for Thanksgiving," Cookie suggested lying back against his pillow. Ned shook his head closing the comic book.

"No way am I going to have my entire family telling her about my baby years and all that. Besides, what do I do if they mention Suzie like I know they will?"

"Seriously man, what's your issue? I know things haven't been the greatest between you and Suzie, but come on; it's been like a month since you guys talked. I can only offer you one shred of advice, talk to her." Cookie grabbed his best friend by the shoulder and pulled him from the chair before pushing him towards the door.

Ned gradually obeyed, slowly making his way down the stairs, calling out goodbye to Mrs. Cook, and finally going to his car. His short drive back to his house passed much too quickly as he pulled into the driveway; however, he was able to see that Suzie was on her balcony.

"A little chilly today, don't you think?" Suzie nearly jumped at the sound of Ned's voice.

"Yeah, a bit," she replied casting her gaze from the sky to her friend. He gave an awkward smile running a hand through his hair. "I figured Jen told you we sort of lost at state. I sort of blame myself; I mean I was out of focus every time I was on the court." Suzie returned her gaze to the passing clouds.

"I'm sure no one else blames you. I know Jennifer doesn't; she said you guys will just bring back the title next year," Ned hopefully suggested. Suzie just shrugged as a cool breeze brushed across her bare arms. She gave a slight shiver and hugged her arms around her.

"Next year, huh, Jen is always hopeful, but I guess you'd already know that wouldn't you, Ned? Ned?" As she looked down, he was gone from the red, orange, and yellow leaf blanket on the grass.

"I told you it was chilly," Ned casually replied from his balcony. She gave him a small smile and watched as he joined her on her balcony and wrapped the jacket he had been wearing around her. "Warmer?" she nodded.

The awkward tension was still evident but not nearly as thick as the two friends watched the clouds float by on a chilly Saturday afternoon. They were soon lying back on the wooden boards pointing out random shapes in the puffy white masses.

"Ned, can I tell you something?" Suzie propped herself up on her elbow facing Ned. The brown-haired boy shrugged.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" he gave meeting her gaze. She was silent for a few minutes before he heard her mutter a curse word or two under her breath. "Is that directed at me?"

"No, no, I just, I've felt so confused these past few weeks. Ever since Halloween I've just been mentally and…emotionally torn. I know I should be happy for you and Jen, but I can't get the idea out of my head that I should've just told you the truth when I first realized it."

Ned sat up facing Suzie with a confused stare. He prayed she wasn't going to tell him something she'd regret saying if he didn't say it back. Everything had just become way more complicated than he had intended. "Suzie, what are you talking about?"

She shook her head. "I can't," she said in a voice choked by tears. Her eyes were downcast again and she quickly sat up against the railing. "It's not important…I just…please leave," she said with a choked sob turning away from him and clutching to the railing for dear life.

"Suzie, I-," she shook her head and quickly removed the jacket from her shoulders laying it across the railing. Whatever was happening with Suzie, Ned knew it had a lot more to do with him than Suzie would ever be willing to admit.

* * *

Thanksgiving Day began with a calm wind blowing the massive balloons of the Macy's Parade. The Bigby's were all gathered in front of the TV listening to the commentators comment on this creature or that performer. For Ned, his only concern was what his relatives were going to be saying to Jennifer who currently sat beside him on the couch while his parents occupied the love seat near them.

"Oh look, Snoopy. I once asked my parents for a beagle but they said it would never behave as well as Snoopy, but I never stopped asking," Jennifer cheerily said as the black and white dog's balloon floated above the New York crowd on the TV screen.

"Adam, remember when you promised me we'd go to New York sometime?" Mrs. Bigby asked her husband.

"Was that our first date because I promised to take you a lot of places," Mr. Bigby replied as his wife gave him a playful punch.

"I wish my parents joked as much as you Mr. and Mrs. Bigby, they're always so serious, absorbed in work," Jennifer commented as she took Ned's hand in her own. The contact startled Ned out of his long reverie and he practically jumped from the couch.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" Mrs. Bigby asked in a concerned tone. Her son just nodded. The incident was soon forgotten as Grandma Emma Bigby arrived several minutes later.

The elderly woman shared her grandson's eye color, but her once sandy-blonde hair was now nearly white. She smiled at Jennifer upon introductions and luckily didn't insinuate anymore about who the girl was until later in the afternoon.

"Neddie, what happened with that sweet, young lady next door?" Grandma Emma asked as Ned and his grandmother entered the guest room.

"She's seeing someone else. Besides, I'm happy with Jennifer, Grandma." The elderly woman crossed her arms.

"You're not over her, you love her," Emma whispered heading back to the family gathering.

"Only as a friend," Ned muttered to the empty room as he heard his younger cousins laughing down the hall. "You're over her, Bigby, despite what your grandma says. You are over Suzie Crabgrass."

"I didn't know that was ever an issue," came a very familiar voice. Ned spun back to the doorway to see Jennifer standing with her arms crossed. "Though it would explain why Suize has been so distracted lately," Jennifer commented as she looked to her boyfriend. "She did say you guys haven't talked much since Halloween. Plus, she always comes up with an excuse to leave when I mention your name. Any clue why, Ned?"

He was at a lack for words. He stood there as if he'd been punched in the stomach and by Jennifer's 'you will tell me Ned' glare, it seemed an almost likely coincidence.

"Ned, honey, will you bring up another case of pop?" Mrs. Bigby called from the kitchen.

"I-I'll be right back," Ned answered Jennifer brushing past her as he made his way to the cellar pantry. She grabbed his arm as he headed down the hall, but Ned gently pulled away.

"Why haven't you talked to your best friend? The one you've known since you were, what, two or three?" Jennifer asked as she followed the brunette to the downstairs pantry."It's like you guys decided you can't be friends anymore and I'd like to know why. Does this have to do with me? Did I make you guys think that?" Ned shook his head. "Please, don't lie to me," Jennifer pleaded looking into her boyfriend's eyes.

"I'm not lying, Jen. I promise you, this isn't because of you, it's…I don't know anymore, Jennifer. I-I just don't know." Jennifer just nodded and headed back upstairs. Ned sighed before going back up as well, one case of Coca-Cola in hand. The brunette paled as he noticed that Jennifer was not back in the living room speaking with his parents and watching the parade, but sitting at the kitchen counter talking to his grandmother. His girlfriend only briefly glanced at him before turning back to the old woman's talking.

* * *

Jennifer was polite throughout the meal, speaking enough to answer questions but never being the one to initiate a conversation. Ned had been unable to ask her just what Grandma Emma had told her as just after the parade finished, one of his aunts had said that the turkey was done so they needed to set the table. He could tell from her posture that she was not happy, but she didn't want his family to get the wrong impression. She did, however, dismiss herself just after dessert thanking his mother for the meal along with his other relatives who'd brought a side-dish or dessert. When Ned offered to drive her home, Jennifer simply stated that it wasn't that cold and she would enjoy the fresh air.

It was just as the pre-game show ended that Ned was able to at least talk with his Grandma. She told Ned that Jennifer had merely asked what she'd meant about Suzie. "You've just been close a long time I told her, dear. Nothing to try to end your relationship, I wouldn't do that. If she feels unsure of your feelings, it's up to you to show her where they lie."

Ned frowned and offered to help with cleaning up, not having the spirit to cheer or 'comment' on the game. Emma Bigby hugged her grandson and told him things would work out, he'd see. Ned just nodded, he hoped they would.

* * *

Jennifer was greeted by her mother as she entered her home nearly an hour after she had left the Bigby's. Her mom seemed confused. "Sweetie, I thought you wanted to spend some time getting to know your boyfriend's family?" June Mosely asked as her daughter shrugged off her coat. Jennifer sighed and more or less dropped herself onto the couch beside her mom.

"Who's winning?" she asked hugging one of the couch pillows to her chest. She didn't care really, but any distraction was welcome. Her mom told her only a moment before wrapping her daughter in a hug. She didn't ask what was wrong or if something had happened, she actually seemed to know something was off. "Mom, do you think it's possible to meet your 'one' when you're my age?" Jen asked.

"Sometimes it happens sweetie, it all depends on the people. Why, do you think this Ned Bigby is your 'one?' You've barely been dating a month," June replied combing back Jennifer's dark hair. Her daughter shrugged. Things felt different with Ned, good different.

"You're right, Mom. I guess, I just need to give it time, huh?" June shrugged and placed a kiss at the crown of Jennifer's head.

"Just wait for the right moment sweetie. If he is, you'll know." Jennifer nodded. A moment later she was smiling as her mom began whooping as her team reached the end-zone. "Ha, your father has to cook tonight. I knew my boys would score first," June bragged.

* * *

Well, the chapter is shorter now than it-I think, but I hope that's no issue. I will likely be adding a new chapter once I have changed the flow of this fic. I plan to finish this fic before the end of 2011.


	8. Corner of Your Heart

So, and I didn't actually know the Packers and Lions always played each other on Thanksgiving 'til my sister told me this year. I am actually embarrassed to admit that. Revised as of 12/2011

* * *

Suzie could barely hear herself think as the joyous cries of her uncles and the loud chatter of several aunts and younger cousins roared in her eardrums. She loved her family, but she absolutely hated the big family get-togethers.

"Yeah, score another one for Green Bay," Uncle Rick called happily from the basement. Suzie couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm as he watched a recorded game from the previous week. He was never a fierce football fan until Thanksgiving when he'd shout at the screen about this or that call and 'encourage' the players to "Run! Run! Run!"

"Rickie tone it down, will you?" Mrs. Crabgrass called to her younger brother from the top of the staircase. A faint reply of 'sorry' came back as Suzie's mom just sighed. "How I survived my childhood with that man is still beyond me, I swear," she muttered before taking a bowl of popcorn into the living room.

For the better part of the morning Suzie had stayed away from the TV where the gathering of over-zealous aunts and far-too-young cousins had been while watching the parade. She had instead chosen to help her mom in the kitchen. Her grandfather had taken the chance to teach her his special garlic mashed potatoes recipe and in the process asked her every possible 'how's your life' question known to man.

Grandpa Bert Helms had seemed to give up for a few minutes as he sat beside his granddaughter at the kitchen counter, slightly away from the noise. They were waiting for the potatoes to soften as they cooked so it was prime conversation time.

"So there's no one you would have liked to invite over today?" Grandpa Bert asked, his hazel eyes focused on his granddaughter. Suzie shook her head and gave an exhausted sigh. "You sighed Kirsche, what's wrong?" It seemed the never-ending question that practically everyone seemed to be asking, but Grandpa Bert knew her too well for her to lie.

"I'm confused, Grampa. It's been like this for over a month now. I can't seem to get rid of feelings I thought were gone and I don't have the feelings I thought I would." Suzie shook her head and stood from her seat at the counter. As she turned to head anywhere to escape, her grandpa grabbed her hand and led her towards the door.

"Christine, Suzie and I are going to get a breath of fresh air, keep an eye on the potatoes will you?" Bert called to Suzie's mom as the chocolate-haired woman just nodded from her chair near the couch. She watched a moment as her father grabbed both his and Suzie's jacket before leading the girl outside.

* * *

Silence reigned for several minutes as the two just watched the slow flow of traffic before Suzie finally spoke.

"So, you want me to explain everything?" Suzie asked her grandfather. He merely looked at her as if to say, 'that's up to you, Kirsche,' his nickname for her known even in silent communication. "I guess it really started around Homecoming," Suzie began. "I didn't have a date for the dance until Ned asked me to go with him as part of some dumb plan to make a girl he liked jealous. It sort of worked, I mean they're dating and all, but that night I…I ki-…I…," Suzie felt tears building behind her eyes for an unknown reason.

"You kissed him?" Bert asked to which Suzie nodded. "I'm guessing you made up some excuse that it was nothing special and a complete accident." Suzie just shrugged in response; that had been the gist of it. "What else happened?" Bert asked placing an arm around his granddaughter's shoulders. Suzie continued to explain about everything that happened on Halloween and how she and Ned hadn't talked to one another much before three days ago when she nearly burst into tears in front of him.

"Kirsche, do you love him?" Suzie didn't know the answer herself. She would admit that for as long as she had known Ned that love was probably something she felt for him, but in what way. "I've seen the way the two of you act when you're around each other and you get along very well, but how do you see him?"

"How do I see him?" Suzie echoed as several tears made their way down her chilled face. "I…don't know. I mean I _do _love him, but after that kiss I can't say it's because he's like a brother to me. No, Grampa I think…that I'm _in_ love with him." _Oh my God, I really am too. He's dating Jennifer though I can't just go 'Hey Ned I love you and I mean really love you' and expect a good outcome. Damn it, when did things become so confusing. _

As more tears trailed down Suzie's cheeks, her grandpa pulled her into his arms and allowed her to cry whether in frustration, sadness, pain, or whatever else she was feeling. The two weren't interrupted until Christine Crabgrass opened the door and told them everything was ready.

"Suzie honey, are you…" Christine started only to have her father hold his hand up and stop her.

"I think she just needs a few minutes alone, maybe then she can eat a little something. What do you think, Kirsche?" Suzie gave a small nod and quickly got to her feet giving her mom a short hug before dashing into the house and towards the upstairs bathroom.

Ten long minutes later, Suzie came back downstairs, her face clear of tears and her eyes less puffy than when her mother had seen her. Everyone was gathered around two tables, the kids younger than ten at a small table near the TV where a Thanksgiving special was playing as the rest of the family was gathered at the larger oak table in the dining area beside the kitchen. Suzie slid into a seat between her grandfather and older sister Sascha as her mom suddenly jumped up having forgotten the gravy.

The meal passed in a low chatter as Suzie's uncles Rick and Tom placed bets on who was going to win the football game that afternoon while their wives tried to talk them out of things and even added their own ideas about who would win. Suzie's dad was happily chatting with his in-laws about his job while her mom talked with her cousin Randy.

No one had questioned her about her obvious late arrival and Suzie was glad. That is until she felt Sascha's dark green eyes on her; the girl of twenty-one continued glancing at Suzie throughout most of the meal. It wasn't until Mrs. Crabgrass asked who wanted dessert that Sascha's glance drifted away, at least for a minute.

"It's a boy isn't it?" she whispered as the greater mass of their family had gathered around the desserts brought by each family. Suzie's eyes widened but she immediately shook her head, not convincing Sascha for a second. "What's his name?" she continued despite a cough and head-shake from Bert.

"Sascha, since when have you ever cared about my personal life anyway?" Suzie retorted her brown eyes cold as she turned to her sister. Sascha placed an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm, her own eyes showing determination for an answer as a smirk played on her glossed lips. "Fine, you want to know so bad I'll tell you later," Suzie finally gave.

"When?" Sascha prodded as her grandpa gave her a warning glance.

"Let me have some dessert then we'll talk."

* * *

After a long talk with Sascha, three games of Rummikub against her Grandma Lynn, Grandpa Bert, her dad, and Sascha, and helping her mom clean up, Suzie finally managed to escape to her room. Her escape was short-lived though as she noticed one brown-haired boy sitting defeated on his balcony, visible from her window.

She quietly approached her window and pulled a jacket around her shoulders over her thick sweater to keep out the cold. As silently as possible she stepped onto her balcony and seated herself facing her down best friend. It wasn't too long before Ned realized he was being watched and slowly turned to look at the brunette cuddled into a ball across from him.

"Long day?" she asked breaking the silence that had quickly settled.

"Uh, yeah, you could say that," Ned replied staring at the cell phone in his hand. "Hey, um, should I know when I'm getting the silent treatment?" Suzie tilted her head to the side in silent question. "Um, I can't really figure out if I had a fight with Jen and we need to talk or, what I need to do," the brunette replied laying his head back against a post. "Am I getting the silent treatment though?"

"What, from me? I'm talking to you right now, aren't I?" Suzie replied leaning back against her own railing. Ned held his hands up in surrender.

"No, I mean, well you are and all, but what about earlier? Did I do something? I mean a few days ago was the first time we've talked in…a long time and then I made you cry and I don't even know how. I…did I do something?" Ned asked as Suzie shook her head. "So, why haven't we spoken in like a month?"

_Because you have a girlfriend and I don't want to ruin that with my own feelings._ "You didn't do anything Ned. I just…I've been busy," Suzie replied. Ned gave a small nod. "Look, I'll probably see you tomorrow; I'm getting a bit cold." Ned just stared at her and didn't say anything for a moment. When he did speak, Suzie forced herself not to turn around.

"You were going to tell me something a few days ago. That was what made you cry. What were you going to say, Suzie?" Ned mused aloud.

"It doesn't matter, Ned," Suzie said before vanishing into her room and closing the curtains. Ned stood there staring at her curtains for several minutes before climbing back into his own room as his phone rang.

* * *

No one had ever considered William 'Billy' Loomer to be a good listener. His teachers argued that he was in fact quite terrible at this, but his grandpa had decided he was the perfect listener; especially since Mrs. Loomer and her mom were attempting to drown out Grandpa Will's stories with the television.

Billy couldn't care less as his mind was not on walking ten feet through snow to get to the one-room schoolhouse but instead on the upcoming weeks at school. He had wished Suzie a 'Happy Thanksgiving,' but made no move to attempt to make plans with the brunette.

"…and then we had to share five books 'mongst thirty kids. We didn't have the same funding you young people have today," Will finished before finally noticing his grandson was not paying attention. "You even listening, son?" Will asked clapping a hand on Billy's back. The teen nearly jumped from his seat on the couch beside his grandpa at the contact.

"Oh, uh, sorry Grandpa, kinda distracted today," Billy replied suddenly wishing he had accepted Neil's offer to hang out with him and Bernard, though the two were more commonly known as simply Crony and Buzz. The trio had almost completely stopped bullying innocent students by the time they graduated middle school, but they still pulled an occasional prank just to reminisce or just to keep in contact.

"Thinking about that girl again aren't ya?" Grandpa Will said with a smile as he gave his grandson a light punch in the arm. Billy felt himself blush as he shook his head, embarrassed that his mom had explained all about Suzie to her dad. "Ah I remember being young, had the eye of quite a looker before I met your grandma," Will gave with a chuckle.

"William Abernathy, just what sort of advice are you telling our grandson?" Grandma Betty asked turning towards her husband with a knowing smirk. Will just smiled as he walked over to his wife's chair and gave her a small kiss on her cheek. "Don't try to butter me up now mister, you still didn't tell me what you just told Billy," Betty said playfully swatting at her husband.

The elderly couple began chatting as Billy saw the opportunity to escape from the room. He quietly dashed up to his room, grabbed his cell phone and began dialing hoping the person was home.

* * *

The chapter's title is based on a song by Ingrid Michaelson with the same name. In this universe, I'd say it fits Suzie very well.


	9. Advice

REVISED 01/2012

Disclaimer: Nope, they're Nickelodeon's, not mine.

Total revamp on this chapter, I'm trying to make it more comical less angsty.

* * *

It hadn't been Ned's best idea to try to decide what to get his girlfriend and female best friend for Christmas while standing amidst the wild crowd of Black Friday shoppers. Luckily, the brunette had Cookie to protect/ hurry him up. "I'm offense not defense," the darker teen had repeated at least six times as Ned stood before various displays and asked the boy's opinion.

By the end of their shopping experience, Cookie declared that Ned owed him for 'saving his life,' while the brunette remained present-less. So, the boys ended up in the mall food court where they were to meet up with Cookie's parents, who had given the teens a ride.

"How am I supposed to know what to get Jen or Suzie if there's no one to give me a good opinion?" Ned asked as he placed a warm plastic cup of cocoa in front of Cookie. The drink was considered part one of Ned's 'thank-you-for-saving-my-life' present. Cookie shook his head.

"Dude, I'm not a chick and I'm an only child. How exactly do you expect me to know what girls like for Christmas?" Ned shrugged in reply. Suzie was usually their go-to person on the matter of girls and she had always had to tell the boys what she would be fine receiving from them. "What about lotion or stuff? Isn't that what Suzie called the number-one present a girl will like?" Cookie asked before sipping his cocoa. His friend nodded and sighed.

"Yeah, but it's also the easy way out," Ned said rolling his own cup between his hands. "You get a girl lotion, or soap, or whatever when you can't think of something she'd like or when you've completely forgotten what she told you she'd like." Cookie shrugged and took another sip of cocoa.

"Okay, so have you asked them what they want for Christmas?" Ned shook his head. "Look, you need to sort things out with Jennifer before _she_ starts giving you the silent treatment like Suzie. Otherwise, there may not be a way out of the doghouse they're building around you, my friend." Ned groaned in frustration as he placed his forehead on their table. He had been trying to figure out what he'd done to upset both girls, but neither he nor Cookie could figure out what he'd done that was so bad. "Maybe we should ask my mom," Cookie said poking his head when the boy didn't move.

"Ask her for present advice or life advice?" Ned asked sitting up.

"In your case, I'd say both," Cookie replied as Ned's head fell back on the table. "Hey, what about the guide, think there might be something in there?" Ned shrugged.

Truly, the trio hadn't really used the worn notebook that much after their first month or so of high school. Things were different, and while Ned had suggested they start a new guide, neither of his closest friends had been up for the idea. While it would have been useful in some cases, it seemed the universe was a bit backwards in regards to high school. Survival tactics changed more often than stock prices.

"So, did you boys get some bargains?" Mr. Nathaniel Cook asked as he pulled up a chair to the boys' table. Both teens glanced at the man and shrugged. Cookie held up a bag from one of the electronics stores while Ned simply sat staring at his cup. "What's wrong, Ned? Did a little old lady take the last of those new mega-zoom cameras out from under your nose too?" the man asked silently vowing revenge on the sneaky little old lady. The brunette shook his head confused as Mr. Cook schooled his features into a calm smile. "Oh, what seems to be the problem then?" Ned opened his mouth to explain only for Cookie to begin to recite the tale to his dad of Ned's present woes and his own fearless efforts to protect his indecisive friend.

There was talk about crafty elderly and plans for revenge before Tanya Cook joined the three males. She quickly took in her son and husband's conversation before deciding it was too early to talk the two out of their crazy schemes without coffee.

When she returned, Ned was trying to dissolve into his coat as her husband was telling an embarrassing story that was apparently supposed to relate to the boy. Her son, who was just casually enjoying his cocoa, seemed thankful that his father had not chosen to embarrass _him_ in the crowded food court. Tanya shook her head before placing a hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Nate honey, I don't think you're helping," she said and nodded towards Ned. Nate simply shrugged and took the cup of coffee his wife offered. "Ned, unless you're part chameleon, that won't work," Tanya said to her son's friend. The boy nodded and stopped trying to cower in his coat. "So, what else have we got here? Hon, any more deals you want to get in on?" Nate pondered the question a moment between sips of coffee and gave a small nod. "Boys, how 'bout you?" The two teens glanced to each other then gave a small nod. "Alright, well I'm done, so who would it be better to tag along with?"

"Oh Mom, you could help Ned. He wants to get a gift for his girlfriend and Suzie and uh, my opinion apparently sucks," Cookie replied turning to his mom. Mrs. Cook gave a small smile and glanced to her husband.

"Your dad isn't exactly the best at picking out presents either, well, unless it's electronics or jewelry," Tanya said. Nate glanced up from his coffee.

"Hmm? What about jewelry?" Tanya repeated her statement. Nate nodded and looked to Ned. "Ned, I didn't tell you the easiest gift advice, if it shines, and you can afford it, buy it." Ned in turn pulled out his wallet, counted what money he had, and shook his head. "Go for a gift card then, no one can hate a gift card," Nate said returning to his coffee. The quartet finished their drinks before splitting up, Cookie with his dad, and Ned with Mrs. Cook. Cookie wished his mom luck and asked that she be careful. "Watch out for crafty…Hey!" Nate tried to call after them as well before his son dragged him off.

* * *

"You know we won't just forgive you for ditchin' us all the time, right?" the curly-haired young man told his friend. Loomer just nodded looking at the scarlet marble table-top in front of him. It was only a matter of seconds before Neil, also known by many as 'Crony' laughed and gave his best friend a light punch on the arm. "So how've you been, Loom?"

The former trio of bullies was seated in a circle booth at one of the local diners; each boy having enough space to lounge comfortably while they waited for their meals. Bernard, or Buzz as he actually preferred, was seated across from Loomer and silently echoed the same question Neil had just asked.

"What can I say guys?" Loomer began slowly meeting the brown eyes of each of his friends. "It's been a busy few months between ending things with Jennifer and now the thing with Suzie. My mom is still convinced I'm not devoting enough time to homework, despite the whole B average I've got now."

Neil and Buzz nodded in understanding. Truly the two were just glad to see their former pal as the rumors had been in surplus about the bit of a love square between Loomer, Bigby, Moseley, and Crabgrass. It was expected given the town wasn't exactly huge, but still annoying.

"I know the feeling," Buzz stated. "My parents are on my case about keeping my grades up too, but I think it's because they want me stay on the wrestling team.'It's making a good impression on me' as my mom says. Still though, why'd you end things with Moseley, you never explained it and I thought you really liked her."

Loomer was at a loss for words. He had tried to come up with the reason himself ever since the day he'd ended things. "I guess…I guess it just got too routine. I liked her yeah, but there wasn't anything all that special between us. Look guys, I'm still sorry about how I acted towards you two while I was with her. I was a crappy friend and I know it." Buzz and Neil glanced to one another then looked to Loomer and just shook their heads.

"Don't apologize, it's just not you," Neil said with another laugh as the waitress finally brought three burgers with fries to the teenage trio. "'Sides, we already forgave you, man." Loomer gave a true smile to his friends before digging into his meal.

* * *

It was early afternoon by the time the Tri-Family Black Friday Potluck, they hadn't yet thought of a good name or acronym, began. Most of the visiting relatives had either returned to their hotels or returned home. Sascha Crabgrass and Grandma Emma were not amongst them. Instead the young woman was busy trying to keep her little sister busy and cheer her up. Grandma Emma too was trying to bring a smile back to Suzie's face when she noticed the girl being so down-trodden. The woman now knew both sides of the situation and wondered why her grandson and the two girls were so difficult. If it had been her, she'd have 'fessed up to her feelings and let things take their course.

"Now, when do the Cooks plan to come, Laura?" Emma asked her daughter-in-law. Laura Bigby shrugged as she mentally checked off the items on the table.

"What happened to the plastic forks?" Laura asked. Emma placed a hand to her head in thought then shook her head. "Huh, well I'll just go get some more." It was only a minute later that Emma found the forks beside the phone. She didn't try to figure out that logic, but put the utensils on the table. Shortly after her daughter-in-law returned with another bag of plastic forks, Adam Bigby came down the stairs, a sleepy Ned trailing him. The boy held back a yawn before his eyes caught sight of the empty couch and he practically raced for it.

Just as Ned was beginning to get comfortable on the couch, someone began poking his shoulder. He blinked one eye open and slowly looked up to see Sascha towering over him. Ned groaned and turned to face into the couch, placing an arm over his eyes. Unfortunately, this didn't work for Sascha and the girl easily removed Ned's arm as she dropped down onto the couch.

"Heya, Bigby," the brunette greeted with a smirk.

"Sascha," Ned replied trying to hide in the couch again.

"Come on, Ned, survive one more hour awake and then you can sleep all you want," the girl said jabbing him in the shoulder again. "Besides, I need to talk you." Ned pulled himself up and looked from Sascha to Suzie who was currently talking with Cookie. "You guys really know how to over-exaggerate things, huh? Boyfriends and girlfriends come and go, but best friends, they stay through everything. Now, go talk to Suzie until she tells what's really wrong and if she gets mad, you tell her I sent you," Sascha commanded more or less shoving Ned off the couch.

Given that he was still exhausted from waking at the crack of dawn to shop with the Cooks, Ned ended up toppling off the couch in a very ungraceful manner. He sent a glare to Sascha even as the girl helped him to his feet. He then proceeded to go over to his two best friends and asked to talk to Suzie.

* * *

"…and she said that pink made me look like a cupcake, can you believe that?" Head Captain of the Wolves' volleyball team, Angela Murtogg asked of her shopping companion. Jennifer simply shrugged. She had agreed to help the girl go holiday dress shopping for a number of reasons. The main one being that she needed something to occupy her thoughts, however, Angela was an interesting shopper and very convincing when it came to the phrase 'You should try it on.'

Already, Jennifer had tried on four dresses, none of which she'd been all that particular about buying. "Oh, how about this store?" Angie asked pointing to another teen girls' store. Jennifer shrugged once more before Angie was tugging on her arm.

Ten minutes later, the girls had tried on several dresses and modeled them for the other's critique. One was deemed too puffy, two others too short, and one a very bad shade of green. Finally, Angela squealed with excitement as she twirled in a dress Jennifer had found on one of the clearance racks. The tri-tone dress was the epitome of holiday with a forest green bodice, red sash, and lightly puffy white glitter skirt.

"Jen, what'd you think?" the blonde girl asked as she twirled again. Jen nodded in approval and asked for a critique on her own dress. It was a similar green to Angie's, but velvet rather than the blonde's silk. Black lace edged the hem and sleeves as well as the neckline. "You need a belt of some sort," Angie said and went to a nearby display to grab something. "There, perfect," she said after tying a short white sash around Jennifer's waist. "So, I am definitely getting this, what about you?" Jennifer glanced to the price tag before replying.

"Uh, maybe when it goes on clearance," she replied. Angela frowned but suggested they change and go. They spent the next hour in the food court where Angela as well added her thoughts on Jen's situation. Oddly and without even knowing it, Angela echoed Sascha's view that boyfriends and girlfriends come and go, but friends, good friends, last much longer.

* * *

A/N: I planned to introduce Angela in a later chapter when I was still writing with my even more confusing storyline. Decided to bring her in now and she will return later. For those that still read this story, I want to thank you. I know how horrible I have been on updating this and I do not think I can make enough apologies for that. Also, I give up on trying to fix spacing, the site refuses to cooperate w/ me.


	10. Invitation

A/N: So, I've been focused on the drama of these characters, but let's face it, they are meant to be in high school and homework is common.

Disclaimer: Still don't really own anything.

* * *

Shell-shocked did not begin to describe how Ned was feeling at the moment. It had been four days since his discussion with Suzie, two since he'd talked with Jennifer, and one since Grandma Emma had again told him things would turn out. The elderly woman had been the last of any of the three families to leave having departed on a flight just the previous afternoon.

Ned couldn't help but feel that his grandmother's instincts were off for his current situation. His talk with Suzie ended up as an awkward confessional that was only interrupted by Sascha coming to tell them the food was getting cold.

_"…and I finally realized it after talking with my grandpa that…I'm in love with you…I don't need you to say it back, I just, needed to explain for why I was acting so weird…didn't want to come between you and Jen with my own stupid feelings…I'm sorry, Ned."_

Jennifer again mentioned how she didn't want to ruin his friendship with Suzie and that maybe they should take a step back for the time being. Ned was left trying to explain to both girls that neither of his relationships with the other would badly affect his current friendship/relationship. They just, needed a system and maybe some ground rules. No talking about his dating relationship with his best friend and vice versa, for starters.

Neither girl had agreed with his terms, so Ned was again left single, but this time without his best female friend to cheer him up.

"They say chocolate heals all wounds," Mrs. Bigby said as she sat beside her son. She handed a mug to the teen and stared at the lightly frosted sidewalk. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked as Ned shrugged. He focused on the mug of cocoa for a few minutes before turning to his mother.

"I just, I don't get it. Why can't I be friends with one girl and date another? Why is that so complicated?" Mrs. Bigby placed a hand on her son's shoulder. She hadn't been keeping up with Ned's relationship issues as much as her mother-in-law, but Ned had told her when he went from confused, but in a relationship with a girl he truly liked to single, a lot more confused, and slightly depressed.

"It's harder at your age I think," Mrs. Bigby began. "You're dealing with hormones and school, trying to figure out your future, it's a lot of pressure. Your emotions change a lot too. One day you'll feel like your life is over and there's nothing worth crawling out of bed for, the next, you feel like you could climb Mt. Kilimanjaro," Mrs. Bigby said with a wave of her hand. Ned shook his head.

"Mom, I don't think there will ever come a day when I will want to climb something that has 'kill a man' in its name." Mrs. Bigby just smiled and ruffled her son's hair affectionately. "So, it will get easier then, right?" His mom just nodded.

* * *

"Alright students, as you know, we have only a few weeks now until the end of the first semester," Mr. Valor announced to his fifth period class. "Now, I don't want any of you thinking I will be lightening the reading or any other assignments because of the coming holiday. Are we understood?" A general chorus of understanding sounded across the room. Valor gave a small grin and turned back to his white-board. Luckily, he failed to notice the squeak of terror that came from the back of his classroom.

"Guys, did you look at the syllabus?" Martin Squirrely asked of Cookie and Jeff. The two boys glanced to each other, the former shaking his head, the latter nodding. "Five chapters and an oral presentation along with the final test, is he nuts?" Martin tried to whisper. Jeff held a finger to his lips urging his friend to keep it down while Cookie simply nodded.

"There is a reason he's on our list for senior prank," Cookie replied. It was at that moment Valor turned back to face his students and directed a question, thankfully Cookie thought, to Martin.

"Now what year did all of this take place, Mr. Squirrely?" Martin gave another squeak of terror and glanced at the board.

"Uh, 1789, sir?" Martin replied. Shocked at the correct answer, Valor opened and closed his mouth several times before shaking his head and moving on with the lecture.

"That, was pure luck," Jeff said while Martin smiled. He soon grimaced as he again stared at the syllabus. This was going to be a lot of reading.

* * *

Mr. Valor was not the only teacher trying to cram in a group assignment before the holiday break. Ms. Farrell, Suzie and Lisa's speech instructor, was also making groups. Sets of two or three students were given a popular Christmas story, poem, or play. On the last two days before break, they would perform an excerpt for the class and relate it to the 'Elements of Voice.' Lisa and Suzie chose a scene from "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," even though Lisa had never heard of it.

"Well, see it's about a church Christmas program and how this family of misbehaved kids earn most of the main roles for the Navity, like Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and shepherds," Suize explained to her partner as the girls brainstormed. "Um, there is a movie about it. Maybe we could rent it?" the brunette suggested. Lisa just shrugged in reply.

"Alright, but what's your schedule like? Student Council is doing some decorating for the charity basketball game on Thursday. Even though I'm just Class Secretary, I'm expected to help and attend," Lisa replied. Her friend nodded in reply. Dukakis High had held the game for only a few years now as a way to support community gift giving for those less fortunate. Attendees of the game were asked to bring new or slightly used toys and other gifts that would be distributed to families just before the holidays. In addition, Suzie knew she would be receiving an invite from Angela about a get-together for all the Wolves players. She hoped to unofficially announce next year's captain and of course see off all the graduating players, Angela herself included.

"I guess we'll have to aim for the weekend and brainstorm between now and then," Suzie replied. The girls decided to confirm their definitions for each element of Voice. By the time the bell rang, neither teen felt like they'd really accomplished much. Suzie was actually thankful the rest of the week would be mostly lectures as it was hard to plan something when the other person had no clue what you were talking about.

"Alright, we're going to start on the next chapter tomorrow, so glance at the vocab," Ms. Farrell said as the students gathered their things. Suzie gave Lisa a small nod as she left the classroom and headed towards her next class. The smaller girl caught up to her a moment later and nudged her elbow.

"You never told me how your weekend was," Lisa began as Suzie's eyes darted in hope of some escape. "Look, things were awkward at lunch, overly awkward. I don't think I've felt that out of place since I went with Simon and Ned to the comic store in the mall. You've been acting odd for a few weeks now and please, as your friend, can you tell me what's up?" Lisa asked. Suzie's shoulders sagged as she slowly exhaled. "Let me guess, it's complicated," Lisa suggested. The other brunette shook her head.

"No, just stupid really," Suzie replied. Lisa was about to ask for an explanation when the two saw Ned round the corner. Brief nods were exchanged, but the tension between the former friends was almost palpable.

"Hey, you wanna help decorate tomorrow afternoon? We could use all the help we can get," Lisa tried with a slight smile. Suzie nodded returning the gesture. "See you tomorrow." Suzie just nodded again heading for class.

* * *

By third period Tuesday morning, Billy Loomer fully realized why he hated high school. Throughout the previous day a rumor had spread that Bigby and Jennifer had gotten into a fight. He hadn't a clue how anyone had come upon this knowledge, but he'd dismissed it as pointless and unnecessary. Now, having been grouped with the couple and Suzie for-of all things-volleyball, Loomer felt it necessary to snap them out of their moods.

This was for a few reasons: first, they were losing, second, he hated losing, and third, the last shot had nearly hit him in the head and Jennifer could have easily spiked it at their opponents.

"Hey, how 'bout we take five?" Loomer called to the other team. A girl, a senior he didn't know the name of, stomped up to the net and glared at him.

"It's gym class, junior, we don't take five," she barked in a snippy tone. Loomer crossed his arms and glared down at the petite girl.

"You sure, cause it looks like you're sweating and sweat isn't attractive," he fired back. The girl reached a hand up to her forehead and glanced at her barely damp hand. She made a noise of disgust before calling back to her own team that they were taking five. "How grateful I am she's so vain," Loomer mumbled to himself returning to his own teammates. "Alright, who died?" he asked as three sets of eyes turned to him.

Ned glared before turning his gaze to Vain Barbie while Jen and Suzie alternated between glancing at the floor and ceiling. Sighing, Loomer decided to force his teammates to huddle. He easily yanked Ned over by the collar of his shirt before all but pushing the two girls to stand before him.

"Dude, personal space," Ned said again glaring as he tugged on his collar. Loomer returned the glare, pulled Ned down to a partial crouch, and gently pushed down on the girls' shoulders to form a huddle.

"What. Is going. On?" Loomer asked looking to each teen in turn. No response. "Look, I'm not going to say that I enjoy having a gym class with my ex-girlfriend, her now ex-boyfriend, and the girl that won't answer my calls for a month." Suzie looked most guilty at the statement, but tried to apologize with a look. "I don't care what stupid problem is up with you three, but I do care about losing when two supposedly awesome volleyball players are on my team and we're losing to mini-me over there." Loomer nodded toward the small senior girl who was dabbing herself with a paper towel. "Now, can we please move past personal issues and take her down?"

The other three teens glanced once more to their opponent before giving an affirmative response. Loomer gave a satisfied smile as they got into position. He even had to stifle a laugh when soon after Suzie spiked the ball at the other team and the senior girl shrieked to get out of the way.

"Lanie, this isn't dodgeball," one of her teammates chided. The girl just 'hmmfed' as Loomer gave Suzie a high five. Finally, she was smiling.

* * *

A/N: well, it's a major filler chapter & shorter than most others, but I needed someone to start the ball rolling on getting rid of the angst. In the series, Loomer and Seth always did a really great job of this, along with the Vice Principal whose name escapes me. W/ Seth severely to the wayside, I preferred to use Loomer.


End file.
